A helicopter flies over Willow Creek Canyon as a wildfire continues burning in the Sierra near Bass Lake, Calif., Monday, July 27, 2015.

The Rocky Fire is burning near Morgan Valley Road and Rocky Creek Road, east of Lower Lake. They add that “Immediate evacuations are in place for residents in the live fire activity”.

Chris Dolce, a weather.com digital meterologist said “a building ridge of high pressure in the West is bringing above-average temperatures from northern California to the Pacific Northwest”.

A fast-moving wildfire in Lake County on Wednesday afternoon forced evacuations in an area southeast of Clearlake and sent a massive column of smoke up over Sonoma County. “Temperatures are approximately 100 degrees, 10 % humidity and wind is south at 11 miles per hour”. Officials on the ground reported that the Rock Fire is traveling at a rapid rate of speed over terrain full of thick brush and timber.

File image of firefighters at the scene of a wildfire that has prompted evacuations in Lake County on Wednesday.

Residents remained under orders to be prepared to evacuate because of the fire, which has charred almost 3 square miles.

Authorities say a boy acknowledged starting the Cascadel Woods fire by playing with a lighter to burn pine needles in the dry Sierra Nevada. As many as 1,800 homes were threatened by shifting winds, Berlant said. The fire is 30 percent contained. The boy faces criminal charges but remains out of custody because he and his family are cooperating, officials say.

The fire grew overnight to more than 3 1/2 square miles.