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Destructive Butte Fire Explodes In Size, Now At 50,000 Acres

AMADOR COUNTY (CBS13) – A raging firefight in Amador and Calaveras counties to grow Friday after tripling in size over the course of a few hours Thursday.

Record heat over the past few days has hampered firefighters' efforts.

The blaze, which is being called the Butte Fire, grew to 31,976 acres overnight, Cal Fire says. As of early Friday afternoon, the fire has grown to 50,000 acres. Containment still stands at 10 percent.

"Due to extreme weather conditions, steep topography, and a historic 4-year drought, the Butte Fire is experiencing unprecedented fire conditions and growth," Cal Fire wrote in a Friday afternoon news release.

Mandatory evacuations are in place and thousands are without power.

UPDATED LIST of evacuation orders due to the Butte Fire

The fire is burning on Butte Mountain Road, east of Jackson. It started in Amador County before jumping the Mokelumne River into Calaveras County Wednesday night.

Firefighters along with record heat, firefighters are dealing with and steep terrain as they try to get the flames under control.

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