Fire Claims 7,000 Acres in National Forest

Firefighters battled a 7,000-acre brush fire in the Mendocino National Forest that started earlier in the week near Stonyford.

Eight air tankers, five helicopters and more than 750 fire personnel from the U.S. Forest Service, the California Department of Forestry and area fire departments were battling the blaze.

The fire started early Wednesday and quickly spread through rough terrain between the cities of Willows and Covelo.

Phoebe Brown, a spokeswoman with the U.S. Forest Service, said one firefighter was evacuated because of heat exhaustion Wednesday. No other injuries were reported.