More Rain Dampens King Fire; Containment Up To 78 Percent

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - More wet weather is expected over the weekend as crews gain even further advantage on a massive wildfire in Northern California, officials said Saturday.

Nearly a half an inch of rain, along with cooler temperatures overnight, helped firefighters make significant progress while battling a large fire east of Sacramento, state fire spokesman Daniel Berlant said.

The blaze has burned more than 150 square miles of a heavily forested region east of Sacramento. It was 78 percent contained - up 10 percent from Friday and expected to climb even higher, state Battalion Chief Chris Christopherson said. More than 6,400 firefighters - less than its peak of 8,000 - continue to strengthen containment lines as authorities assess the damage.

"We got a really big assist by the rain, but it's still going to be a process," Christoperson said. "We've got to dig in and mop up around the perimeter and in those deep-seated burning logs because we don't want any more flames to pop up."

The blaze has destroyed about a dozen homes near the town of Pollock Pines in El Dorado County. Nearly 300 structures remain threatened, down dramatically from about 21,000 earlier this week. Evacuations in two communities remain voluntary as just one neighborhood is under strict evacuation orders, Berlant said.

The fire has cost more than $53 million to fight since it started two weeks ago.

The rains had brought fears of flooding and dangerous conditions, but the storms have remained light so far, said Tom Dang, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press.