LOWER LAKE, Calif.—Cooler weather helped crews make inroads Monday against a massive Northern California wildfire that tore through two dozen homes, threatened thousands more and forced scores of people to flee the flames.
The largest blaze in drought-stricken California roughly tripled in size over the weekend to 93 square miles, generating its own winds that spread the flames at an unprecedented rate, officials said.
Lower temperatures and higher humidity allowed firefighters to gain more control in the Lower Lake area north of San Francisco, increasing containment after days of stalled efforts, said Capt. Don Camp of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
“We are hoping we only have to deal with winds from the weather instead of the fire creating its own winds,” he said.
