Pawnee Fire: the "out of control" fire spreads over 3,000 acres

The Pawnee fire in Lake County, California, quickly outpaced efforts to combat it, according to CBS San Francisco. The hell spread quickly Sunday to 3000 acres and shaving at least a dozen structures.

Cal Fire said the fire was "out of control" and that the threat to homes in the spring valley was "imminent". 17 hours. PT, the fire had reached 3,000 acres and was threatening 600 structures while it was burning through the steep and rugged area.

"We have a mandatory evacuation of Spring Valley," Cal Fire Division Chief Gary Bertelli said Sunday morning. "It is imperative that they evacuate."

Bertelli said structures destroyed by dawn, 10 were houses and two were outbuildings.

"What we emphasize is that people, when they get the evacuation order, respect it immediately and go out until it's safe to come back" said Jonathan Cox, battalion chief of the Department of Forests and Fire Protection. "It's one of four big fires burning in northern California, which reminds us that the fire season is imminent."

The accelerated spread of fire has been attributed to extremely high temperatures, low humidity and whipping winds. Resources sent to the disaster include ground firefighters, bulldozers and tankers.

Pawnee's fire started around 5:21 pm Saturday near Pawnee Road and New Long Valley Road, northeast of Clear Lake Oaks.

High temperatures, single-digit humidity and wind gusts prevented firefighters from keeping flames away from Spring Valley homes. Overnight, the fire jumped New Long Valley Road.

More than 230 firefighters, tankers and bulldozers were called to fight the fire. Mutual aid also came from the Bay Area.

Thomas Leavy contributed to this report.