Evacuations lifted in Northern California wildfire area

In this June 24, 2018 file photo, an air tanker drops retardant on a wildfire burning above the Spring Lakes community near Clearlake Oaks, California. Fire crews are gaining ground against the Northern California wildfire that forced more than 1,000 people to flee their homes and has destroyed 12 homes. The California’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Wednesday, June 27, 2018, the fire in Lake County north of San Francisco is 25 percent contained as Wednesday morning, up from 17 percent on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File)

SAN FRANCISCO — Fire crews have gained ground against a Northern California wildfire that destroyed 12 homes.

Evacuation orders that covered 500 homes and about 1,000 residents of the Spring Valley area have been lifted, and people who were forced to flee over the weekend were allowed to return home, Lake County sheriff’s Lt. Corey Paulich said.

About 300 people in a rural subdivision were still under evacuation orders, he said.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said the fire in Lake County north of San Francisco was 30 percent contained as of Wednesday night, up from 17 percent on Tuesday.

The blaze burning through dry brush, grass, and timber had scorched 13,700 acres (about 21 square miles or 55 square kilometers) since it started on Saturday.

Although the fire’s spread was slowing, the hot and dry weather predicted into the weekend meant the danger is not over yet,  state fire officials warned.  /kga