Northern California wildfire jumps line

FRESNO, Calif. — More than 200 people were ordered from their homes Tuesday when a wildfire jumped a containment line east of California’s Napa Valley wine country in one of several blazes burning across the state.

The week-old fire was given a burst of energy by rising temperatures, wind gusts and low humidity, said Daniel Berlant, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

A smoke plume was visible for miles.

The flare-up in the rugged, steep terrain of Solano County quickly consumed 150 acres. The fire has charred more than 10 square miles and firefighters had it mostly contained, despite the additional area that burned.

“With the winds picking up, they’re challenging us,” Berlant said, adding that firefighters have dug a secondary containment line. “We’re hoping those lines will hold it where it’s at.”

Residents of 136 homes were ordered to leave, said the Solano County Sheriff’s Office.

In the Central California foothills, helicopters and air tankers were attacking another fire burning near the tiny wooded communities of Bass Lake and Cascadel Woods north of Fresno.

Residents remained under orders to be prepared to evacuate because of the fire, which has charred nearly 3 square miles.

A boy acknowledged starting the fire by playing with a lighter to burn pine needles, Madera County District Attorney David Linn said, noting the boy tried to smother the fire with his clothes and his family fought it with water.