BURNEY, Calif. (AP) — Two wildfires burning about 8 miles apart in northeast California have become the focus of state and federal firefighters.

Authorities say one of the blazes has destroyed eight homes and has prompted the evacuation of a small long-term care hospital.

The fires started within a day of each other in Lassen National Forest and had expanded into private property and scorched nearly 95 square miles as of Sunday evening, up from 39 square miles a day earlier.

The more destructive fire of the two is threatening the town of Burney, where officials at Mayer Memorial Hospital decided to evacuate their 49-bed annex for patients with dementia and other conditions requiring skilled nursing.

Evacuations also remain in effect for a community on the edge of the second fire, which was sparked by lightning Wednesday. Officials say about 40 homes are at risk.

There are 12 other wildfires in central and Northern California.

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