The King Fire in Eldorado National Forest, about 60 miles east of Sacramento, has rapidly grown in size to become the most dangerous fire currently burning in California, . It now threatens more than 1,600 homes.
The fire, which as holding steady at less than 4,000 acres on Monday afternoon, has since exploded to more than 18,000 acres and is at only 5 percent containment.
U.S. Forest Service officials told the Los Angeles Times that high winds and dried-out vegetation were to blame for the sudden expansion. Smoke plumes are preventing firefighters from tracking the fire’s path.
The King fire isn’t the only one affecting the drought-stricken state: 11 major fires are currently burning. On Monday, the Boles fire overtook the town of Weed, destroying more than 100 buildings and forcing more than 1,600 people to evacuate. And the largest fire, the Happy Camp Complex fire, has burned more than 100,000 acres in the Klamath National Forest since lightning started it in mid-August.