Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in Amador and Calaveras counties after a fast-moving wildfire exploded Friday to 50,000 acres, damaging highways and threatening 6,000 structures.
Thousands of residents were forced to flee their homes as flames moved closer to the Sierra foothill communities of Angels Camp, Westpoint and Railroad Flats.
Because the fire is unpredictable and extremely volatile, Cal Fire Team 1 Incident Cmdr. Phill Veneris urged residents to “stay vigilant and adhere to all evacuation orders.” “You are advised that if you see smoke or fire approaching your community, evacuate the area immediately to a safe location,” he said in a statement.
The Butte fire started Wednesday on Butte Mountain Road, east of Jackson, and exploded this week amid triple-digit heat, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Flames destroyed six structures and two outbuildings and threatened thousands more.
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