Four homes destroyed as crews battle Nelson fire in Butte County

OROVILLE — Some residents of a Northern California county devastated by wildfire in 2018 are under evacuation orders because of a grass fire that has so far destroyed four homes.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in a tweet shortly after 2 p.m. that the Nelson fire that sparked Wednesday in Butte County is about 50% contained.

It said that the 'forward progress" of the fire has been stopped.

An evacuation order for parts of Oroville was issued after noon and the cause of the fire is under investigation. The fire has charred about 95 acres.

Faulty equipment owned by Pacific Gas & Electric sparked a devastating wildfire in Butte County that killed 85 people and burned more than 18,000 homes and other buildings. The families of some of the people who died were in a Butte County courtroom Wednesday to give victim statements.

The San Francisco utility pleaded guilty Tuesday to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of unlawfully starting the fire that nearly wiped out the town of Paradise.

Oroville is about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco.