Crews continue to battle a fast-moving wildfire in Northern California that has destroyed 175 structures since Saturday and forced people from their homes.
The Clayton fire started Saturday off Highway 29 and Clayton Creek, south of the community of Lower Lake in Lake County, according to Cal Fire.
By Monday afternoon it had grown to 4,000 acres and was 5% contained.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency on Monday approved California’s request for a fire management assistance grant.
The cause of the fire is under investigation as it continued to burn aggressively Monday, destroying homes, businesses and property in Lower Lake and Clearlake and closing schools in the Konocti Unified School District.
The number of those evacuated ranged in news accounts from 1,400 to 4,000 people.
Many are staying in makeshift shelters, according to CNN affiliate KPIX.
Couple Marla Sherman and John Kounious are waiting out the blaze at Twin Pine Casino in Middletown with their tortoise and dog, according to CNN affiliate KPIX.
“You don’t want to leave your house until you absolutely have to,” said Kounious. “It’s like, ‘what do you grab?'”
