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| California wildfires live: thousands forced to evacuate as blazes rage across state | California wildfires live: thousands forced to evacuate as blazes rage across state |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Cluster of wildfires in Napa, Sonoma and Solano counties, sparked by lightening and stoked by a heatwave, cover an estimated 46,225 acres | Cluster of wildfires in Napa, Sonoma and Solano counties, sparked by lightening and stoked by a heatwave, cover an estimated 46,225 acres |
| The Bay Area is feeling the effects of fires in surrounding areas, with some of the worst air quality in the world on Wednesday. Residents have reported ash falling from the sky. | The Bay Area is feeling the effects of fires in surrounding areas, with some of the worst air quality in the world on Wednesday. Residents have reported ash falling from the sky. |
| Authorities are recommending Bay Area residents stay indoors and keep windows shut to mitigate the effects of poor air quality. The National Weather Service has noted that the smoke is causing increased temperatures in a number of Northern California cities including Sacramento, Yuba City, and Redding. | Authorities are recommending Bay Area residents stay indoors and keep windows shut to mitigate the effects of poor air quality. The National Weather Service has noted that the smoke is causing increased temperatures in a number of Northern California cities including Sacramento, Yuba City, and Redding. |
| If you were not already wearing a mask due to Covid, you should now be wearing one for fires, the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management said. Unhealthy and sensitive groups should reduced prolonged outdoor exertion. | |
| A map from Colorado research facility CIRA shows the number of fires burning in California simultaneously. | A map from Colorado research facility CIRA shows the number of fires burning in California simultaneously. |
| Much of northern California is being affected, with the Bay Area surrounded by fires on all sides, if distantly. | |
| Newsom said in the press conference there are 367 known fires burning in California as of now, including 23 major fires. He cited the ongoing heat wave in the state for increasing fire risk. | Newsom said in the press conference there are 367 known fires burning in California as of now, including 23 major fires. He cited the ongoing heat wave in the state for increasing fire risk. |
| The state experienced a potential world record for heat this week after recording a temperature of 130F or 54.4C in Death Valley. There have been 10,849 lightning strikes in the last 72 hours, Newsom said. | The state experienced a potential world record for heat this week after recording a temperature of 130F or 54.4C in Death Valley. There have been 10,849 lightning strikes in the last 72 hours, Newsom said. |
| “This is what this state does,” he said. “We’re quite familiar with these challenges. But there’s no question, while last year we experienced some acuity of fires, the total number of fires was substantially lower than what we’re experiencing this year. The last 72 hours has stretched resources.” | “This is what this state does,” he said. “We’re quite familiar with these challenges. But there’s no question, while last year we experienced some acuity of fires, the total number of fires was substantially lower than what we’re experiencing this year. The last 72 hours has stretched resources.” |
| As governor Gavin Newsom gives his press conference, it was announced additional cities in California have been asked to evacuate due to the River fire. | |
| According to the Monterey county Emergency Services, Highway 68 and River Road remain open for evacuations. | |
| Gavin Newsom, the California governor, is holding a press conference about the massive state-wide fires, which has prompted him to declare a state emergency. | |
| Newsom says there have been 6,754 fires this year, as of 18 August – an increase from 4,007 at the same time last year. | |
| “This fire season has been very active,” he said, citing more lightning strikes than last year. | “This fire season has been very active,” he said, citing more lightning strikes than last year. |
| The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said on Wednesday that resources in areas affected by the wildfires have been stretched thin. | The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said on Wednesday that resources in areas affected by the wildfires have been stretched thin. |
| The agency has requested assistance from neighboring states including 125 fire engines, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. At least 367 fires have broken out in California in the last 72 hours, most of them initiated by lightning strikes during recent extreme weather in the state. | The agency has requested assistance from neighboring states including 125 fire engines, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. At least 367 fires have broken out in California in the last 72 hours, most of them initiated by lightning strikes during recent extreme weather in the state. |
| Good afternoon, readers. Kari Paul here in the Guardian’s west coast bureau to walk you through the fire-related news of the day. | |
| There are currently fires in dozens of cities across the state of California with effects being seen in even more locations, including ash falling and smoky air conditions in major cities like San Francisco. Stay tuned for updates. | There are currently fires in dozens of cities across the state of California with effects being seen in even more locations, including ash falling and smoky air conditions in major cities like San Francisco. Stay tuned for updates. |
| Maanvi Singh reports: | Maanvi Singh reports: |
| Dozens of fires are raging across California, forcing tens of thousands of residents – who were already facing rolling blackouts and the coronavirus pandemic – to flee their homes. The flames, sparked by lightning and stoked by a searing heatwave and ferocious winds, have been moving quickly, overwhelming the state’s firefighters and first responders. | Dozens of fires are raging across California, forcing tens of thousands of residents – who were already facing rolling blackouts and the coronavirus pandemic – to flee their homes. The flames, sparked by lightning and stoked by a searing heatwave and ferocious winds, have been moving quickly, overwhelming the state’s firefighters and first responders. |
| “It’s kind of an overwhelming fire siege,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. | “It’s kind of an overwhelming fire siege,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. |
| A cluster of wildfires in Napa, Sonoma and Solano counties now covers an estimated 46,225 acres, according to Cal Fire, the state’s fire agency. The flames have destroyed at least 50 buildings and structures and remain largely uncontained, and come just three years after devastating fires killed 22 and destroyed many wineries in the region. At dawn on Wednesday, firefighters and police officers went door-to-door in Vacaville, in Solano county, rushing to evacuate residents. At least 50 structures were destroyed and four people were injured, according to officials. Television reporters and local residents shared images of roads, fully flanked by flames, blackened land and columns of smoke swirling through neighborhoods. | |
| The ash and soot, which have permeated through the state are especially concerning amid the coronavirus pandemic – as evidence builds that air pollution makes people more susceptible to Covid-19. | The ash and soot, which have permeated through the state are especially concerning amid the coronavirus pandemic – as evidence builds that air pollution makes people more susceptible to Covid-19. |
| Fires were burning in every Bay Area county but urban San Francisco. “So basically, everywhere there’s land to burn, there’s land burning in the Bay Area,” Swain said. | Fires were burning in every Bay Area county but urban San Francisco. “So basically, everywhere there’s land to burn, there’s land burning in the Bay Area,” Swain said. |
| In southern California, the Lake fire north-east of Los Angeles has been raging for more than a week, has spread across more than 21,000 acres. The Dome fire has eaten through more than 43,000 acres including the Mojave national preserve near the California-Nevada border – scorching ancient Joshua trees. |