Fires Scorch 12,000 Acres; Control Near

Firefighters in Butte County gained the upper hand Saturday over wildfires that charred more than 12,000 acres and destroyed two homes, but gusting winds and low humidity compounded fears of flare-ups.

The state Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention said crews had fully contained a 6,000-acre fire near Paradise that briefly threatened Butte College. The fire was expected to be under control by 10:30 tonight.

Firefighters won 90% containment over another blaze that destroyed two homes and other structures in Palermo, officials said. The 300-acre blaze was expected to be under control by this evening. A third fire destroyed 12 acres and threatened the town of Paradise before it was contained.

More than 1,500 firefighters worked to extinguish the fires, which were east of Chico and about 80 miles northeast of Sacramento.

But winds gusting up to 40 m.p.h. and humidity below 20% increased the danger of a major blaze in a state that has suffered years of drought, fire officials said.

A “red flag” warning indicating a high fire hazard was in effect for all of Northern California.

South of San Francisco, in Monterey County, a brush fire closed California 1 at California 68 for six hours and caused power outages until firefighters ringed it shortly before noon, Fire Capt. Lonnie Smith said.

In Santa Barbara County, firefighters got the upper hand on a 2,000-acre brush fire in the Santa Ynez Valley. In San Bernardino County, heat and wind hampered efforts to contain a 100-acre fire.