OROVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A Northern California wildfire is threatening thousands of homes after winds whipped it into a monster that incinerated houses in a small mountain community and killed at least three people.

The fire on the foothills of the northern Sierra Nevada exploded to six times its previous size between Tuesday and Wednesday due to gusting winds.

The winds have subsided but only after flames critically burned several people and damaged or destroyed hundreds and possibly thousands of homes and other buildings.

Another California fire near the Oregon border has destroyed 150 homes near a community called Happy Camp and one person was found dead.