The Latest: New central California fire brings evacuations

FORESTHILL, Calif. – The Latest on the wildfires burning in the U.S. West (all times local):

7 p.m.

A new wildfire is creeping toward a town of about 5,000 people in central California.

Kern County fire officials say the blaze broke out at about 3 p.m. Friday and quickly grew to 500 acres. It’s near the town of Bear Valley Springs, where some have been told to evacuate though it’s not clear how many.

The blaze is about 60 miles south of a large and deadly blaze that broke out last week near Lake Isabella. That fire is 80 per cent contained, and resources from it are being diverted to fight the new fire.

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1:40 p.m.

Authorities say a wildfire in Northern California’s Sierra foothill grew to more than three square miles Friday, forcing 1,650 people from their homes as the blaze threatens structures.

The fire started Tuesday afternoon, charging through inaccessible terrain and climbing out of a steep canyon along the middle fork of the American River.

Nearly 2,000 fire crew members are battling the blaze about 50 miles northeast of Sacramento. The fire is threatening some than 2,600 homes, businesses and other structures. No damage to structures or injuries had been reported as of Friday. The fire was 12 per cent contained.

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Daniel Berlant says the Red Cross has set up an evacuation centre in Auburn, near Sacramento and 140 miles northeast of San Francisco.

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This story has been corrected to to show there are nearly 2,000 fire crew members, not fire crews.

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12:10 p.m.

Forecasters say the threat of wildfires will remain high in Southern California and the Southwest this month because of persistent drought and because summer rains may not be as consistent as usual.

The National Interagency Fire Center said Friday that parts of intermountain West also face above-normal chances of significant fires in July because grasses and small trees are dry.

That area includes northern California and parts of Idaho, Montana, Nevada and Wyoming.

The centre says dry conditions in the Dakotas will increase the chances for big fires there as well.

The centre’s monthly forecast says the risk of wildfires could remain high across the West in August.

The risk level will likely return to normal in most areas in September, but forecasters say California could remain at risk into the autumn because of drought.