JACKSON, Calif. — A wildfire in northern California ripped through a mountainous region near Sacramento on Tuesday after forcing evacuations in two counties.
The Electra Fire erupted Monday afternoon in a Sierra Nevada Gold Country recreation area that was teeming with 4th of July revelers, forcing 85 to 100 people celebrating the holiday by a river to take shelter at Pacific Gas & Electric Co., Amador County Sheriff Gary Redman said.
All were then safely evacuated, Redman told the San Francisco Chronicle late Monday night.
The fire started in Amador County and had spread to 959 acres (388 hectares) by nightfall. Evacuations have been ordered in Amador and Calaveras counties.
Redman said the cause of the fire was not known, but it started in the Vox Beach area of the North Fork Mokelumne River. He said that might suggest fireworks or a barbecue as a potential cause.
Vox Beach is about 89 kilometers east of Sacramento.
Several other small fires were burning across the state.
ABC News