Drought-Stricken, Fire-Ravaged California Asks: What's the Latest Damage?

POLLOCK PINES, Calif. (AP) — Assessment teams hope to get an idea Saturday of just how many structures have been damaged or destroyed by a massive wildfire that threatens thousands of homes in Northern California.

POLLOCK PINES, CA - SEPTEMBER 19: A sign burned by the King fire stands on a road on September 19, 2014 near Pollock Pines, California. The King fire is threatening over 12,000 homes in the forested area about an hour east of Sacramento and has consumed over 76,000 acres. The out of control fire is 10 percent contained. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

While officials confirmed that several structures have been lost in what is being called the King Fire, dangerous conditions have prevented them from determining an exact number, fire spokesman Mike McMillian said. The blaze began one week ago, and a man accused of starting the blaze is being held on $1 million bail.

Firefighters battle King Fire along Highway 50 in California. Editor's Choice photos: https://t.co/Ol76PIXSar pic.twitter.com/Q2KKF0XUkW

— Reuters Top News (@Reuters)

September 18, 2014

Although record amounts of retardant have been dropped on the fire that's located about 60 miles east of Sacramento, the blaze spread another 6 square miles overnight. Nearly 5,000 firefighters — from as far as Florida and Alaska — are helping California crews battle the blaze that's not only consumed grass and brush, but swaths of extremely dry tall timber.

FILE - In this Sept. 15, 2014 file photo, a an aerial tanker drops its load of fire retardant on the King fire near Pollack Pines, Calif. The massive Northern California wildfire is burning so explosively because of the prolonged drought that firefighters are finding normal amounts of retardant aren't stopping the flames. And so they are dropping record-breaking amounts — more than 203,000 gallons in one day alone. By Friday, Sept. 19, 2014, state firefighters and the U.S. Forest Service together had bombarded the conflagration with more than a half-million gallons of the red slurry, said Lynne Tolmachoff, a state fire spokeswoman. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

"That's what makes it difficult for a direct attack," McMillian said. "The main fuel that is burning is the tall timber. We're making some progress, but it is slow going in some areas as we're trying to construct more contingency and control lines."

Also of concern is possible wind gusts of up to 30 miles-per-hour that could push the fire, which has spread north to the south, state fire spokeswoman Lynne Tolmachoff said.

"That would open up a whole new area for it to burn in," Tolmachoff said.

The fire has spread to the Tahoe National Forest northwest of Lake Tahoe, McMillian said. Also, the fire is threatening a key University of California, Berkeley research station that his home to scores of experiments on trees, plants and other wildlife.

A burned out bus is shown near one of several homes that burned in the recent King fire near Icehouse in El Dorado County on Friday, Sept. 19, 2014. (AP Photo/The Sacramento Bee, Randall Benton)

Burning in rugged, steep terrain, the wildfire has consumed about 126 square miles and forced the evacuation of 2,800 people and burned multiple structures in the White Meadows area of Pollock Pines. More than 21,000 structures are threatened as the fire is 10 percent contained.

The #KingFire is only 10% contained. Weather will bring no relief. Hot and mainly dry conditions are expected @cnn pic.twitter.com/YtL8ZyGRWF

— CNN Weather Center (@CNNweather) September 20, 2014

Wayne Allen Huntsman, 37, pleaded not guilty to an arson charge Friday in El Dorado County Superior Court.

Wayne Allen Huntsman, right, appears in the El Dorado Superior Court with Public Defender William Dittman for charges related to the King Fire, in Placerville, Calif., Friday, Sept. 19, 2014. Huntsman pleaded not guilty to an arson charge. He was being held on $10 million bail after authorities said he started the blaze. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Authorities have not said what evidence they have linking Huntsman to the fire, by far one of the largest of about a dozen fires burning statewide.

Meanwhile, a fire in Weed and another near Oakhurst that destroyed or damaged more than 200 structures combined are close to full containment, officials said Saturday.

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