The Latest: 180,000 ordered to flee from California wildfire

The Latest on the wildfires in Northern California (all times local):

8:15 a.m.

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.

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7 a.m.

Evacuation orders have expanded to parts of Santa Rosa as firefighters struggle to beat back a wind-driven wildfire that started in Northern California's wine country four days ago.

Authorities issued the order early Sunday as historic winds fueled the fire overnight and prompted the state's largest utility company to shut power to 2.3 million people to prevent additional wildfires.

Santa Rosa was hit hard by a wildfire that destroyed thousands of homes and killed 22 people two years ago. The evacuation order affects the northwestern section of the city.

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California fire officials say the current wildfire, dubbed the Kincade Fire, that began Wednesday night has burned at least 40 square miles and is only 11% contained.

The National Weather Service says wind gusts topped 90 mph Sunday morning in Healdsburg Hills North, a popular tourist attraction in California's wine country.

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