Wildfires in California burn record 2 million acres

CALIFORNIA: According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), wildfires in California have covered more than 2 million acres this year and set a record for a single fire season. Cal Fire, on Monday, September 7, said that wildfires this year have now burned over 2 million acres, caused 8 fatalities and destroyed more than 3,300 structures. They added that a Red flag warning for strong, gusty winds and low humidity has been issued for most of California. It was last in 2018 when the number of acres burned was nearly two million and in the same year, the devastating Camp fire occurred and just over 1.9 million hectares went up in flames.

More than 14,100 firefighters across California are currently fighting 24 different wildfires. According to Cal Fire, among these blazes was the Creek Fire, which began on Friday, September 4, in steep and rough terrain and till now has spread across 78,790 acres and is not contained at all. Another fire, the Oak fire, that began in Mendocino county on Sunday, September 6, has been growing rapidly and has spread across 1000 acres.

On Monday afternoon, evacuation orders were in force in Southern California. More than 200 residents in northern California were airlifted to safe places over the weekend after they were trapped by a fast-moving wildfire near the Mammoth Pool Reservoir, northeast of Fresno.

The National Weather Service said that California has been baking under blazing conditions. The temperatures have reached a record 121 degrees Fahrenheit (49 Celsius) on Sunday, in Woodland Hills which is unprecedently the highest for Los Angeles county.

Gavin Newsom, Governor, California, has issued emergency pronouncements for several counties amid wildfires. Donald Trump, President, the United States of America (USA), on August 22, gave approval to major disaster declaration for California. A statewide emergency was declared by Newsom on August 18.