Watch: Race to rescue animals as wildfire bears down

WFLA reports that body cam footage shows police breathlessly racing to rescue animals from a shelter as a wildfire approached in Northern California.

All 60 animals are now safe in foster homes, according to SPCA of Solano County.

"As the Nelson Fire raced toward the south end of town, it looked like the Solano SPCA would be the first to be hit by the flames. Our officers worked with Humane Animal Services, SPCA staff and volunteers to evacuate all they could in a race against the clock."

Aided by slightly cooler temperatures, firefighters made steady progress in battling a wildfire that destroyed 16 structures as it raged through Southern California's Cleveland National Forest.

The Holy Fire was 41 per cent contained after burning across 92km of dry timber and brush, said Lynne Tolmachoff of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

"The weather out here in California seems to be cooling down today and over the next couple days, and that should hopefully help firefighters get even more containment," Tolmachoff said. "They should make better progress over the next couple of days."

Temperatures are expected to again reach 37C or more by the end of the week.

The Holy Fire — named for Holy Jim Canyon, where it began — is one of nearly 20 blazes burning across California as the state sees earlier, longer and more destructive wildfire seasons because of drought, warmer weather attributed to climate change and home construction deeper into forests.

Elsewhere, the largest wildfire ever recorded in California — the Mendocino Complex — burning north of Sacramento that destroyed more than 100 homes is nearly 70 per cent contained. Yesterday, it covered 1359 sq km.

The two-week-old Carr Fire that killed eight people and burned more than 1000 homes was more than 50 percent contained.

- AP