Evacuations ordered as wildfires threaten California town

(CNN) -- Firefighters were battling two wildfires in Northern California that grew late Sunday, August 12th to more than 5,000 acres, forcing people from their homes in Lake County, a fire official said.

Mandatory evacuations were ordered for the Spring Valley subdivision in Clearlake, about 100 miles north of San Francisco, according to Julie Hutchinson of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The larger of the two fires, dubbed the "Wye Fire," began burning at about 4 p.m. PT (7 p.m. ET) along California Highway State 20, she said. By night time, the fire had grown to 5,000 acres.

A second smaller fire, labeled the "Walker Fire," began burning a short distance away at about the same time along the same highway, Hutchinson said. By evening, it had grown to 400 acres.

About 200 fire personnel were en route to fight the fire, she said.