The raging forest fire forced hundreds to evacuate the Santa Cruz Mountains. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for 500 residents. Voluntary evacuations were in place for another 1,000 residents.
Residents, firefighters and news reporters near Bonny Doon were scrambling Wednesday to deal with the effects of the fire.
A strike team were trapped by the fire when a homeowner who was watering down his house with a hose when the fire raced up to them. Firefighters were able to clear an area around the driveway allowing an escape.
The wind whipped up the brush-fueled fire adding to several wildfires that ignited over the past couple of days in Northern California, from the coast to the Sierra foothills - portending a hard summer ahead.
Erratic wind gusts surprised firefighters who were forced to retreat from the flames. Three firefighters were burned near Lincoln, about 35 miles northeast of Sacramento, when they were caught in a 65-acre grass fire burning in a dry field. Two had moderate to severe burns to their faces and arms, while the third was released from a hospital after treatment for minor facial burns.
By early evening, the Bonny Doon fire was threatening at least 1,000 homes, with the fast-moving blaze expected to grow to today.
With no sign of containment and winds forecast to continue, fire officials are anxious about flames moving into more populated areas through the night.
Bonny Doon Fire Forces Evacuations…
Bonny Doon area residents faced their ultimate nightmare - stay with your house and possesions to fend off a or fire, risk your life doing so, or evacualte to get out of the way of danger and lose everything.
Emergency preparedness is a necessary part …
I would like to help someone who has lost thier home and needs temporary shelter. I have a house that is vacant.