A wildfire burning in Fresno County has grown to 5,000 acres and forced evacuations as crews battle steep terrain and strong winds, authorities said.

The Salt 14-2 Fire, which started Tuesday along Jacalitos Creek Road near Coalinga, was 5% contained as of Wednesday morning, according to CalFire. The cause is under investigation.

The blaze is burning in a remote area and moving upslope in alignment with both the terrain and wind, making containment difficult.

Fire officials said the conditions have required significant reinforcements of both air and ground resources.

Evacuation Order Issued

Evacuation orders are in place for Zone P25, and evacuation warnings have been issued for Zone P18.

About 200 personnel are assigned to the fire, along with nine engines, one helicopter, two bulldozers, a dozen hand crews and 10 other resources.

Numerous firefighting air tankers from across the state are flying suppression missions as conditions allow.

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