Californians facing nights in wildfire evacuation shelters

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. (AP) — As firefighters battled a massive Northern California wildfire threatening numerous homes, some of the 13,000 people urged to flee their residences were spending what may be just one of many nights in evacuation shelters.

The blaze grew to more than 101 square miles today as it chewed through drought-withered brush that has not burned in years in the Lower Lake area about 100 miles north of San Francisco.

More than 3,000 firefighters tried to stand their ground against the blaze that jumped a highway that had served as a containment line and grew by several square miles despite cooler weather and higher humidity. Its rapid growth caught firefighters off guard and shocked residents.

Vicki Estrella, who has lived in the area for 22 years, stayed at a Red Cross shelter at Middletown High School with her husband and their dog.

"It's amazing the way that thing spread," Estrella said. "There was smoke 300 feet in the air."

Cooler weather today is helping crews build a buffer between the flames and some of the 5,500 homes it threatened. Despite the fire's growth, no additional homes were consumed outside the two dozen already destroyed.

More than 13,000 people have been forced from their homes or warned to leave since the blaze ignited Wednesday.