Lightning sparks more fires in Northern California

John S. Marshall in the San Jose Mercury News vai AP: Crews were making progress against a series of Northern California wildfires, but fire officials said lightning sparked more than a dozen new blazes late Friday and early Saturday. Most of the new fires were small, state fire spokesman Daniel Berlant said.

Meanwhile, firefighters had a large fire in the Plumas National Forest, about 120 miles north of Sacramento, 34 percent contained. That blaze has consumed more than 69 square miles and continued to threaten about 900 homes. Two of the new fires were burning in thick timber and rugged terrain east of the Mendocino County community of Covelo, and were difficult for ground crews to access.

"This week we've been incredibly busy with all the fires we've been having," Berlant said. "As we've been making progress on the fires, we are now reassigning new personnel on those fires that have popped over the last couple of days."

The new fires come as fire crews were able to contain a wildfire in Lake County. That blaze consumed more than 12 square miles before fire crews were able to contain it around 6 a.m. Saturday, Berlant said. More than 100 firefighters remained at the scene mopping up and watching over hotspots.

Firefighters also continued to battle two huge wildfires on national parklands in Northern California. Nearly 1,200 firefighters were struggling to surround the Chips fire in the Plumas National Forest....

A 2007 fire in Northern California, shot by FEMA