United States (California) - An intense fire scorched the bank of the San Joaquin River in northwest Fresno on Thursday, destroying a million-dollar home and forcing residents of eight other houses to evacuate. Firefighters from the city of Fresno and Fresno County joined to fight the blaze that started shortly before 4 p.m. The U.S. Forest Service also responded with a crew of 20 firefighters.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but neighbors said they heard what might have been fireworks going off shortly before the fire started.

More than two dozen firetrucks and engines and 85 firefighters responded as Clovis firefighters moved into Fresno stations to provide backup coverage.

Off-duty firefighters from both cities were called back in as the fire spread.

"This is by far the biggest fire we've had since 1981," said Fresno Fire spokesman Ken Shockley. "We have separate teams protecting the houses and battling the fire."

The fire was burning directly behind Emil and Sue Natali's home near the intersection of Big Sandy and Moraga roads. Emil Natali said he called 911 after seeing smoke and flames on the bluffs below his home.

"By the time I went back outside, the flames just flared up 20 or 30 feet and raced with the wind. I looked down at my neighbor's house. He was on the back porch, and the flames were by the front door. I started yelling for him to get out," Natali said.

That neighbor's house, worth more than $1 million according to fire officials, was destroyed by the fire. Another home valued around $1 million was heavily damaged.

Shockley said the wind, heat and steep terrain all complicated the firefighting efforts. "We could have easily lost a dozen homes tonight," Shockley said.

The smoke was so thick that Fire Chief Randy Bruegman was in a CHP helicopter helping locate new outbreaks, Shockley said.

By 9:30 p.m., the fire was contained, but six fire engine crews remained at the scene overnight.

Written by The Fresno Bee