A fire in the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains is spreading at a critical rate and forcing evacuations, as an atmospheric river drops rain in much of Northern California.

A winter storm bearing down on Central California this week whipped up a wildfire, prompting evacuations, but also helped dissipate some of the flames.

Hours after the wind-whipped Pack fire ignited in Mono County on Thursday afternoon, damaging homes, a storm rolled in, bringing with it much needed precipitation.

MONO COUNTY, Calif. (AP) — A fast-moving wildfire in a picturesque California county along the Nevada state border has damaged 15 structures, prompted evacuations and forced the closure of part of a highway on Thursday as firefighters worked to contain it in the face of strong winds.

Pack Fire burns 3,400 acres in Mono County, prompting evacuations and U.S. 395 closure as storms bring relief and new hazards.

The Pack fire has grown to 1,000 acres amid high winds, but a coming winter storm might help firefighters control the blaze.

A new wildfire was reported today at 12:25 p.m. in Mono County, California. After being active for six hours, Pack Fire has burned 3,400 acres. 368 firefighters have been assigned to respond to the blaze.

The Pack Fire in California continues to set thousands of acres ablaze, and homes in the area are under evacuation orders due to an "immediate threat to life", according to Cal Fire. The Pack Fire, which was discovered on Thursday, Nov. 13, started in Mono County, located around 147 miles southeast of Sacramento, California, according to Cal Fire.