KTLA

Massive King Fire Still Rages, Could Be Whipped Up as Weather Changes

The King fire in Northern California continued to rage as officials worried that changing weather conditions could fuel the massive blaze even more.

Firefighters mop up hot spots in an area burned by the King fire on Friday near Pollock Pines, Calif. The King fire is threatening more than 12,000 homes in the forested area about an hour east of Sacramento. (Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

National Weather Service meteorologist Jason Clapp said meteorologists were watching closely to see whether shifting weather patterns early this week would generate winds similar to those present last week when the fire spread quickly.

The blaze in Eldorado National Forest grew to 81,944 acres and was 10% contained as of Saturday evening, said Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean. Nearly 5,100 firefighters were battling the fire, he said.

Nearly 3,000 people have been evacuated from the area, and 21,000 structures remain threatened by the blaze, which started Sept. 13. Four firefighters have sustained minor injuries since the fire began, McLean said.

Click here to read the full story on LATimes.com.