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CORRALITOS (CBS 5 / AP / BCN) ― Firefighters took advantage of cooler temperatures and calmer winds Saturday as they struggled to gain control of a wildfire that has burned centuries-old redwood forests, displaced hundreds of residents and destroyed at least 20 homes in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Strong winds up to 45 miles per hour caused the Summit Fire to grow to more than 3,840 acres and spread from Santa Cruz County to Santa Clara County early Saturday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention.

The dramatic shift prompted a mandatory evacuation order for about 50 homes along Croy and McPhee roads in the small community of Sveadal near Uvas Canyon County Park.

Firefighting efforts were helped by lower temperatures, lighter winds and higher humidity Saturday, but officials were concerned that a possible storm could bring lightning and heavier drafts that could cause the fire to spread, Cal Fire Battalion Chief Dave Shew said.

The fire was still only about 35 percent contained Saturday night and was expected to grow to 4,000 acres before it's brought under control over the next week, fire officials said.

Four firefighters have suffered minor injuries: Three firefighters endured minor sprains Saturday, and one firefighter had difficulty breathing Friday night and was treated and released from medical care.

The fire that started Thursday morning had destroyed 38 structures and threatens another 570 buildings in the mountainous region about 15 miles south of San Jose.

"As long as we don't have this fire contained, then the homes are still threatened," Shew said. "We don't consider this to be anywhere near contained. I wouldn't say we're out of the woods yet."

More than 3,100 firefighters, seven air tankers, 12 helicopters and 144 fire engines were deployed to battle the blaze. Crews were focused on building fire lines to keep the blaze from getting bigger, Shew said.

The cost of fighting the blaze doubled Saturday, reaching $5.9 million, according to Cal Fire estimates.

There was a chance of rain Sunday and winds were expected to remain light as well, which could aid in the fire battle, National Weather Service meteorologist Brian Tentinger said. 

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Saturday declared a state of emergency in Santa Clara County after the fire jumped over into that county. He issued a similar proclamation for Santa Cruz County after the fire began Thursday.

Investigators have traced the blaze to an area where Summit Road becomes Loma Prieta Avenue at the Santa Clara-Santa Cruz counties border. Fire officials told CBS 5 the blaze was ignited by smoldering brush from a legally permitted burn by a resident.
 
Thousands Remain Evacuated

About 2,000 residents were asked or ordered to evacuate their homes since the fire started, and it was still not safe for them to return, Shew said.

The American Red Cross Santa Clara Valley Chapter opened a new shelter for evacuees at Live Oak High School, located at 1505 East Main Ave. in Morgan Hill.

Food, water and mental health services were provided but the shelter cannot accommodate animals. Residents with questions about livestock and domestic pets could call the Santa Clara County Animal Shelter at (408) 686-3900.

For additional shelter information, residents should call the Red Cross at (408) 577-1000.
 
Five roads were closed to the public as well. Hazel Dell Road was closed due to fire equipment access, Croy Road was closed to evacuate residents due to the fire's proximity and Eureka Canyon, Loma Prieta and Buzzard Lagoon roads were closed due to fire activity, according to the office of emergency services.

In Santa Cruz County, some residents evacuated along Eureka Canyon Road and the connecting roads such as Summit and Ormsby Cutoff roads, located just north of Corralitos, were briefly escorted into restricted areas by Cal Fire personnel Saturday afternoon to see if their homes survived the blaze.

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office and Cal Fire scheduled a meeting Sunday for the Corralitos Community Center at 3 p.m. to further update residents on the status of the fire battle.

Updates on the fire, including containment percentages, were also available online at http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_current, according to Cal Fire.

Health Warnings Due To Smoke, Ash

Smoke from the wildfire left a haze over the San Francisco Bay Area that was expected to linger through the Memorial Day weekend.
 
Contaminants present in the air as the fire continued to burn created especially unhealthy air in Santa Cruz County and the Santa Clara Valley, according to health officials.

Asthma attacks could occur in residents with respiratory problems, and ash may irritate all residents' noses, throats and lungs, causing coughing. Fitted dust masks are encouraged, but health officials warned that the masks would not fully protect against inhalation of the debris.

Residents with respiratory problems as well as young children and the elderly should be especially cautious, and doors and windows should be kept closed.

Santa Cruz County residents with health concerns and questions could call (831) 458-7185 during the weekend. Santa Clara County residents with health questions should call 211.

Santa Cruz County health officials also warned residents of the large amount of ash expected to be left behind by the still-burning fire.

Residual ash left by the fire will be present in and around the fire area for at least several weeks, health officials said. The ash is considered nontoxic except for small amounts of carcinogenic chemicals and skin irritants, and is similar to ash left in a wood-burning fireplace, health officials said.

The synthetic materials, such as asbestos and lead, in some structures burned in the fire may be present in ash residents are exposed to, and professional crews should be sought to remove debris from burned structures, health officials said.

Residents were encouraged to take precautions to avoid unnecessary exposure to the ash, including washing ash off children's toys and pets and wearing gloves, long sleeves and pants to avoid skin contact, as wet ash can sometimes burn skin according to health officials.

Skin exposed to ash should be immediately washed, as should homegrown vegetables and fruits. Vacuums and leaf blowers should not be used, as they can blow ash back into the air, health officials said.

Inside, sweeping followed by mopping or a wipe-down with a damp cloth were suggested for surfaces dusted with ash, health officials said. Residents were asked to avoid washing ash into storm drains, and are advised to dispose larger amounts of ash in trash bags.

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