180K ordered to flee from California wildfire

SAN FRANCISCO — Authorities say 180,000 people have been ordered to leave their homes as powerful winds threaten to spread a wildfire in Northern California's wine country.

The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office tweeted Sunday that it's the largest evacuation that any member of the force can remember.

The evacuation order was significantly expanded overnight to portions of Santa Rosa, a city of 175,000 that was hit hard two years ago by a wildfire that destroyed thousands of homes and killed 22 people.

Fire officials say they are concerned the winds will blow embers and cause the fire to jump a major highway and spread to population centers.