California wildfires latest: Rescue underway for 13 hikers in fire zone

A rescue operation was underway Monday to remove 13 hikers stranded in a wildfire zone near the Tahoe National Forest in Northern California's Placer County, authorities said.

The Placer County Sheriff's Office launched a search for the hikers after finding their vehicles within the area where the Royal Fire ignited around 4 p.m. on Sunday.

A search-and-recuse helicopter crew located the group around 7:20 a.m. PT Monday, according to the Placer County Sheriff's Office.

"Search and rescue crews will be inserted to hike out with them," the sheriff's office said in a statement.

Elise Sovier, a spokesperson for the Placer County Sheriff's Office, told ABC News on Monday that the missing hikers, ranging in age from 16 to 20, set out together Sunday before the fire started. Sovier said the group was hiking on a trail familiar to them, but the fire blocked their path, forcing them to attempt to hike out a different way.

Sovier said helicopter crews searched for the hikers Sunday night and located them shortly after resuming the search early Monday.

There were no immediate reports on whether any of the hikers were injured.

The Royal Fire had burned 169 acres as of Monday and was 0% contained, according to Cal Fire.

Lake Fire in Santa Barbara County

The Lake Fire burning in Santa Barbara County near the Los Padres National Forest was 8% contained as of Monday morning after growing more than 7,000 acres since Sunday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention (CAL FIRE).

The Lake Fire, the state's largest blaze of the wildfire season, is one of 21 wildfires burning in California on Monday, CAL FIRE said.

The wildland blaze about 40 miles north of the city of Santa Barbara started on Friday afternoon near Zaca Lake in the Los Padres National Forest.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department issued evacuation orders on Saturday night as the blaze grew out of control. The evacuation orders included the 5000 block of Figueroa Mountain Road, where Michael Jackson's former ranch is located, officials said.

Warnings were also issued for residents in the surrounding area to be prepared to evacuate, according to the sheriff's office.

The wildfire erupted during a heat wave that has enveloped the area and most of California.

"An EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING through next week continues to affect the fire with high temperatures, drying vegetation and little relief at night. The National Weather Service has reported that a heat wave this intense, this long, has not been experienced in this region in 20 years," CAL FIRE said in a statement.

The fire grew rapidly over the weekend amid temperatures in the high 90s and with a relative humidity of around 11%.

"When relative humidity decreases, fire behavior increases because fine fuels like grass and pine needles become drier quickly," according to the Western Fire Chiefs Association (WFCA).

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

North Fire

A new fire broke out Sunday afternoon in Northern California, west of Mt. Shasta near the Oregon border. The North Fire in Modoc County, fueled by dry rangeland grasses, rapidly grew overnight to 4,380 acres and was 0% contained on Monday morning, according to Cal Fire.

The Modoc County Sheriff's Office issued mandatory evacuation orders for homes and businesses in the path of the fire, including the communities of West Valley, Wormville and Mill Creek Falls.

Shelly Fire

Another Northern California wildfire burning out of control Monday was the Shelly Fire in Siskiyou County, also near the Oregon border, according to Cal Fire. The fire, which started on Wednesday in the Klamath National Forest near Lake Shelly and the Pacific Crest Trail, had burned 3,880 acres as of Monday morning and was 0% contained, according to Cal Fire.

The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office issued mandatory evacuation orders to residents in the path of the fire and warned others to be prepared to flee.

Thompson Fire in Oroville

Fire crews were gaining the upper hand on the Thompson Fire, which started on Tuesday in the Butte County town of Oroville and caused the evacuations of nearly 30,000 residents as it grew to 3,789 acres, according to CAL FIRE. The blaze -- which destroyed at least 25 structures, including homes -- was 98% contained on Monday.

Firefighters battled both flames and dangerous temperatures over the weekend in the Oroville area ranging from 110 to 116 degrees, according to CAL FIRE. An excessive heat warning remained in effect Monday morning, according to Cal Fire.

Most of the evacuations caused by the Thompson Fire were lifted on Saturday.

Basin Fire in San Joaquin Valley

The most stubborn fire in the state, the Basin Fire burning in the foothills east of Fresno in the San Joaquin Valley, was 60% contained on Monday after burning 14,027 acres, according to CAL FIRE. The blaze started on June 26 in the Sierra National Forest north of Pine Flat Lake and south of Shaver Lake and Wishon Reservoir.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Temperatures in the area of the Basin Fire are forecast to remain in triple digits throughout the week.

French Fire near Yosemite National Park

The French Fire near Yosemite National Park in Mariposa County has burned 908 acres since erupting Thursday and was 60% contained as of Monday morning, according to CAL FIRE.

Three firefighters were injured battling the wildfire, which has destroyed four structures, CAL FIRE said.

McCain Fire in San Diego County

Another significant Southern California fire is the McCain Fire, which started on July 1 in southeast San Diego County.

As of Monday, firefighters had the fire almost completely out, having achieved 95% containment on the blaze that has burned 1,595 acres.