By AMANDA FEHD, Associated Press Writer
from YAHOO! NEWS

MEYERS, Calif. - A wind-driven wildfire destroyed at least 165 homes and other structures and scorched 2,000 acres acres just southwest of Lake Tahoe, a spokesman for the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department said Sunday.

Sheriff’s Lt. Kevin House said the fire is less than 5 percent contained and has more than 500 homes in its path, but no injuries or deaths have been reported. The cause of the fire is still unknown.

“This thing is raging out of control, and there’s no estimate as to when that may change,” House said.

The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors has issued a declaration of emergency, House said.

Kit Bailey, the agency’s fire chief for Lake Tahoe, said high winds hampered the battle against the fast-moving about five miles south of the lake. The Angora Lakes Resort and hundreds of homes in Meyers were evacuated, authorities said.

“I can’t stay on the phone. We just got a notice to evacuate,” Gloria Hildinger of the Angora Lakes Resort said. “The smoke is getting pretty thick. It’s probably two miles away, and we’re hoping it won’t reach here.”

Winds as high as 25 mph fanned the flames, and the National Weather Service called for gusts as high as 35 mph Sunday evening.

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