CLEARLAKE: A wind-driven wildfire destroyed a dozen buildings and threatened hundreds of others on Sunday as it raced across dry brush in rural Northern California.

The Pawnee Fire, which broke out on Saturday near the small community of Clearlake Oaks, was one of four wildfires burning in largely rural areas as wind and heat gripped a swath of California from San Jose to the Oregon border.

The blaze destroyed 12 buildings and threatened an additional 600 as it burned out of control across about 2.5 square miles. It is north of the wine country region where devastating wildfires killed 44 people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses last October.

Authorities ordered people to evacuate all homes in the residential area of Spring Valley and surrounding areas. Evacuation centres for residents and animals were being opened. No injuries were reported.

“What we’re stressing is that people, when they get the evacuation order, they heed it immediately and get out and stay out until it is safe to return,” California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Battalion Chief Jonathan Cox said.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2018