Firefighters battle major wildfires in California
More than 2,000 firefighters battled a massive wildfire in California on Tuesday as authorities warned that record-breaking heat expected by the weekend could spark more blazes. The so-called County Fire in the northern part of the state had scorched 70,000 acres (28,327 hectares) in Napa and Yolo Counties by Tuesday and was just five per cent contained, fire officials said.
Authorities late Monday had warned residents in several counties to be ready to flee if fire conditions worsen. The fast-moving blaze, which has not caused deaths or injuries, erupted last Saturday west of the capital, Sacramento, and quickly spread southward.
The smoke and ash from the flames turned the skies orange and prompted the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management to issue an air quality alert on Sunday, urging the elderly, children and people with heart conditions to avoid physical activity.
Fire crews in the state are also battling another blaze, dubbed the Pawnee Fire, which by Tuesday morning was 80 per cent contained. Cal Fire spokeswoman Tricia Austin told AFP that 14,900 acres (6,030 hectares) in Lake County, north of San Francisco, had been eaten up by the fire which also destroyed 22 structures.
Austin said fire crews hope to extinguish the blaze by the weekend. She said the wildfire season had begun earlier than usual this year, forcing crews to be on the alert all the time.
