Firefighters braced for northeast winds – forecast for Friday morning – that are similar to winds that caused the blaze to flare up Monday night and destroy about 50 homes and 10 outbuildings.

We are hoping to get things under control to be ready for that wind change, said Tobie Edmonds, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Firefighters on Thursday positioned themselves on the banks of the Feather River opposite Paradise, where last month a separate wildfire destroyed 74 homes.

They are monitoring that fire and trying to keep it on the east side so it doesn't cross over to the west bank and reach the town, Edmonds said.

The blaze is one of about 40 lightning-sparked wildfires that over the past two weeks have charred more than 76 square miles in Butte County. By Thursday, there were about 15 active fires.

In Concow, about 90 miles north of Sacramento, firefighters cleared and intentionally burned brush to keep the flames away from houses.

Animal control officers rounded up dogs, cats, horses and other animals left behind when owners hastily evacuated earlier this week.

Evacuations orders remained in place, but some Concow residents were allowed to check on their homes Thursday.

I think my place is gone, said Rachael Davidson, 37, as she made her way to her home. When we left, there were flames all around.

Wildfires across California have burned nearly 1,100 square miles and has destroyed about 100 homes since a lightning storm ignited most of them more than two weeks ago. Some 1,460 fires had been contained by Thursday, but more than 320 still were active, authorities said.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger sent a letter to President Bush asking for more equipment and personnel to help build fire lines and train California National Guard troops deployed to assist firefighting efforts, his office said.

California is in the midst of battling unprecedented wildfires that have stretched our state's firefighting resources to their limit and placed thousands of Californians in immediate danger, Schwarzenegger said in the letter.

Officials at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said they were reviewing the request. A 53-square mile fire east of Bakersfield, which was 28 percent contained Thursday and not threatening any homes.