New Delhi (NVI): The deadly California wildfires have burned over 1 million acres — and there’s no end in sight as thousands of firefighters struggle to contain the blazes as more emerge.
There were approximately 12,000 lightning strikes that started 585 fires in the state over the past week. A total of 1.1 million acres have burned in the state with more than 13,000 firefighters working to douse the fires, according to media reports.
Firefighters have been struggling to contain the massive blazes that have killed at least four people.
Two fires — LNU Lightning Complex Fire in the northern Bay Area and Central Valley, and the SCU Lightning Complex Fire largely east of San Jose – are among the state’s three largest wildfires in recorded history.
The fires have burned about 1,000 homes and other structures, forced tens of thousands to flee, blanketed communities with a pall of dangerous smoke and haze, and left residents on edge.
Fire teams from 10 different states and two countries, including Australia, are being flown in for back up.
In addition to this, the National Weather Service issued a “red flag” warning through Monday afternoon for the Bay Area and the central coast, meaning extreme fire conditions, including high temperatures, low humidity and wind gusts up to 65 mph, “may result in dangerous and unpredictable fire behavior.”
RED FLAG WARNING has been issued for the entire San Francisco Bay Area and Central Coast from 5 am Sunday to 5 pm MONDAY (updated) for Dry Lightning and Gusty Erratic Outflow Winds from Thunderstorms. #cawx #cafire pic.twitter.com/3qo57XlGMd
— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) August 22, 2020
There was the potential for scattered “dry” thunderstorms over much of Northern California, the weather service said, and lightning could spark new blazes.
-CHK
