Northern California wildfire jumps single road leading to rural communities

Firefighters battle the wildfire in an area northeast of Clearlake Oaks, Calif. (AP)

Gov. Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency for an area in Northern California as wind-driven wildfires forced thousands to evacuate their homes, burned dozens of homes and businesses and threatened to cut off the rural community.

Gov. Brown issued the emergency proclamation Monday for Lake County due to the Pawnee Fire, "which has destroyed homes, threatened critical infrastructure and caused power outages and the evacuation of residents."

The Pawnee Fire in the Spring Valley region, about 100 miles northwest of Sacramento, had jumped a single road that leads to a few residential communities, Lake County Sheriff’s Office emergency services manager Dale Carnathan said Monday, according to Reuters.

The Pawnee Fire had burned 7,700 acres, destroyed 12 houses and threatened about 600 other structures, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

Lake County Fire Battalion Chief Jonathan Cox said more than 230 firefighters using helicopters, bulldozers and other equipment were battling the Pawnee Fire.

“It's kind of the worst possible combination,” Cox said.

Wildfires were also emerging across other parts of the state.

Residents in Tehama County, about 200 miles north of San Francisco, were forced to evacuate as a wildfire there grew up to 4 square miles and destroyed multiple homes and businesses.

Residents in Shasta County, about 300 miles north of San Francisco, were also forced to flee an inferno.

No deaths or injuries have been reported.

The cause of the blazes have yet to be determined.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.