The King Fire started about five days ago, in a California canyon 60 miles east of Sacramento, and has since burned an estimated 70,000 acres of steep forested terrain. The wildfire is one of nearly a dozen major blazes being fought across the state right now, driven in part by the ongoing severe drought conditions. The King Fire continues to grow (as of now, it is only 5 percent contained) and has prompted the evacuation of 2,000 residents so far. Firefighters plan to strengthen their control lines and protect as many of the 1,600 nearby homes as they can over the coming days.
An air tanker drops Foscheck fire retardant on a hillside ahead of the King Fire on September 17, 2014 in Pollock Pines, California.
(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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