Wildfire in Northern California continues threatening homes

The Salt Fire, a major blaze in northern California, has covered 12,430 acres (50.3 square km) with 20 percent contained by Tuesday after it broke out near Redding a week ago, Inciweb, an interstate incident information system reported. reported Xinhua.

The latest report showed that firefighters are battling the blaze in mountainous areas and providing structure defense in communities nearby, where 41 buildings, including 27 homes, had been damaged as of Tuesday.

"Evacuation orders and warnings remain in place for communities near the fire. The fire is very visible from Interstate 5 and firefighters ask the public to be extra cautious when driving in the area," the Inciweb report said.

A community meeting was told Monday that investigators determined the fire was ignited by unspecified hot materials that separated from a northbound vehicle on Interstate 5 and landed in very dry vegetation. The vehicle remained unidentified.

Residents were also told that the firefighting force was bolstered by resources released from the two other big fires to the north.

The Lava Fire from north of the city of Weed was 72 percent contained after burning 25,001 acres (101.2 square km), while the Tennant Fire growing slightly to 10,614 acre (42.9 square km) overnight was 57 percent contained on Tuesday.