Nov. 9 (UPI) — A pair of wildfires broke out in Northern and Southern California on Thursday, forcing thousands of evacuations and injuring at least two firefighters.
The Camp Fire in Northern California’s Butte County grew to 20,000 acres Thursday evening. The blaze injured two firefighters and multiple civilians, Butte County Fire Chief Darren Read said.
Officials ordered tens of thousands of people to evacuate in the county, including in Paradise, Magalia, Concow, Butte Creek Canyon and Butte Valley.
Adventist Health Feather River Medical Center and all schools in Paradise Unified School District evacuated due to the blaze. The hospital said it sent many of its patients to other area hospitals, while PUSD instructed parents to pick up their children at a nearby church. A school in the nearby town of Concow also evacuated.
The fire, which started Thursday morning, was zero percent contained. Read said the blaze could destroy thousands of structures.
Cal Fire said strong winds were moving the fire quickly.
In Southern California’s Ventura County, the Hill Fire erupted around 2 p.m. and grew to between 8,000 and 10,000 acres by Thursday evening. The Ventura County Star reported the blaze threatened between 3,500 and 5,000 structures.
Emergency officials ordered thousands to evacuate in Camarillo Springs, the Vallecito Trailer Park, CSU Challenger Islands areas and Dos Vientos. Highway 101 was closed through a portion of the area as well.
The Hill Fire was located miles away from a shooting at a bar in Thousand Oaks, Calif., that left 12 victims dead.
