Home Destroyed, Others Evacuated Near Walker

A wind-whipped wildfire has grown to 6500 acres on the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada, where a portion of U.S. Highway 395 was closed. About 100 homes in a resort community were evacuated late yesterday as the blaze near Walker destroyed two other homes. During the night firefighters have been standing guard next to about 100 homes and ten businesses that are threatened in the Walker and Coleville areas. The blaze broke out Saturday afternoon in a remote section of a nearby national forest and has been fanned by high, erratic winds. High winds are expected to continue at least through tomorrow.