Fast-moving Shasta County fire grows to 600 acres

REDDING, Calif. - A fast-moving wildfire in Northern California is threatening thousands of homes and forcing evacuations.

The fire in Shasta County started around noon Thursday in a rural area northwest of Redding about 200 miles (320 kilometers) north of San Francisco.

Cal Fire Capt. Robert Foxworthy says the blaze quickly spread to more than 600 acres, or about one square mile, by Thursday afternoon. Foxworthy says a north wind drove the fire in a combination of grass, brush and some oak trees.

He says about 2,000 structures may be threatened, though officials haven't conducted a thorough count yet.

Those evacuated included an estimated 4,000 people at Shasta College.

Firefighters are battling in high temperatures, expected to be above 100 degrees for the next few days.