Fast-moving blaze in picturesque California county damages 15 structures and prompts evacuations

MONO COUNTY, Calif. (AP) — A fast-moving wildfire in a picturesque California county along the Nevada state border has damaged 15 structures, prompted evacuations and forced the closure of part of a highway on Thursday as firefighters worked to contain it in the face of strong winds.

The Pack Fire in Mono County, about 140 miles (225.3 kilometers) southeast of Sacramento, had grown to about 5.3 square miles (13.7 square kilometers) by Thursday night and was burning without any containment, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.

The blaze had been whipped up by gusts as strong as 50 miles per hour (80.5 kilometers per hour) that temporarily grounded emergency aircraft, according to Cal Fire. But by Thursday evening, the department said in a statement, “Fire activity has decreased due to precipitation in the area.”

“Crews will work through the night; additional resources are arriving tomorrow,” according to Cal Fire.

Part of Highway 395 was temporarily closed and an RV park in McGee Creek had been “impacted,” but it was unclear whether any homes had been destroyed.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Evacuation shelters were set up at a middle school and the Tri-County Fairgrounds, according to Cal Fire.

The rural county is located between the Sierra Nevada and the Nevada state line. It’s known for its majestic mountain boundaries, lakes and pine forests.