SAN FRANCISCO -- Authorities said thousands were forced to evacuate on Sunday evening as wildfires in the northern region of California continue to threaten their homes. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported that over 12,000 acres or approximately 48.6 square kilometers of forest have been razed by the "Ponderosa Fire" which were ignited by lighting strikes on Friday evening and Saturday morning. The San Francisco Chronicle newspaper was notified by a spokesman for the agency that 1,000 firefighters have been dispatched to protect homes and commercial establishments, but the fires have yet to be contained. On Sunday night, a mandatory evacuation was issued for the neighborhoods of Canyondam in Plumas County, a town located about 154 miles north of Sacramento. About 2,000 homes in a number of cities in the region were also ordered to evacuate on Saturday evening. Meanwhile, it has been estimated by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection that over 3,000 residents were displaced by the evacuations.