Wildfire in California forces residents to flee

A wind-whipped wildfire has roared through a town in northern California still recovering from a devastating blaze nearly a year ago, destroying more than 100 homes and forcing thousands of people to flee.

The fire seemed calm on Sunday before gusts kicked up the flames that tore through neighbourhoods in Lower Lake, a town of 1,200 about 90 miles north of San Francisco, officials said.

It reached Main Street and burned the post office, a winery, a Habitat for Humanity office and several businesses as thick, black smoke loomed over the small central strip.