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| California fires: 250,000 under evacuation orders amid three Bay Area blazes – live | California fires: 250,000 under evacuation orders amid three Bay Area blazes – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Some 650 fires are burning in California, ignited by nearly 12,000 lightning strikes across the state and accelerated by a record-breaking heatwave | Some 650 fires are burning in California, ignited by nearly 12,000 lightning strikes across the state and accelerated by a record-breaking heatwave |
| Sparked by a rare lightning storm and stoked by hot, windy weather, the fires have expanded quickly into the Sierra Nevada, southern California, and regions north, east and south of San Francisco, writes the Guardian’s Maanvi Singh. | |
| Maanvi has written an in-depth explainer on how the fires started and began to rage out of control: | |
| Read Maanvi’s full piece here: | |
| Firefighters in California are not just at risk from the blazes which have besieged the state – they also pose a potential coronavirus threat, to themselves and others. | Firefighters in California are not just at risk from the blazes which have besieged the state – they also pose a potential coronavirus threat, to themselves and others. |
| Public health officials are increasingly concerned that the 12,000 firefighters – many of them from out of state – could trigger a super-spreader coronavirus event as they tackle the fires, the San Francisco Chronicle reported: | Public health officials are increasingly concerned that the 12,000 firefighters – many of them from out of state – could trigger a super-spreader coronavirus event as they tackle the fires, the San Francisco Chronicle reported: |
| According to the Chronicle, “the firefighters present a unique challenge”. | According to the Chronicle, “the firefighters present a unique challenge”. |
| Social distancing is difficult, as the firefighters live in small shelters where they sleep and eat together. They travel to blazes in trucks with the windows rolled up, the newspaper said, and frequently cannot wear face coverings due to the extreme heat. | Social distancing is difficult, as the firefighters live in small shelters where they sleep and eat together. They travel to blazes in trucks with the windows rolled up, the newspaper said, and frequently cannot wear face coverings due to the extreme heat. |
| Almost 250,000 people are under fire evacuation orders and warnings in California, as three huge fires continue to rage around the San Francisco Bay Area. | Almost 250,000 people are under fire evacuation orders and warnings in California, as three huge fires continue to rage around the San Francisco Bay Area. |
| Firefighters are bracing on Monday for more damage, as the National Weather Service (NWS) warned that fast moving storms will lead to a risk of new fires erupting. | Firefighters are bracing on Monday for more damage, as the National Weather Service (NWS) warned that fast moving storms will lead to a risk of new fires erupting. |
| Some 650 fires are burning in California, ignited by nearly 12,000 lightning strikes across the state in the past week and accelerated by a record-breaking heatwave. | Some 650 fires are burning in California, ignited by nearly 12,000 lightning strikes across the state in the past week and accelerated by a record-breaking heatwave. |
| The NWS has issued a “red flag” warning across swathes of northern California, valid until Monday evening. It warned that extreme fire conditions including high temperatures, low humidity and wind gusts up to 65mph could result in “dangerous and unpredictable fire behavior”. | The NWS has issued a “red flag” warning across swathes of northern California, valid until Monday evening. It warned that extreme fire conditions including high temperatures, low humidity and wind gusts up to 65mph could result in “dangerous and unpredictable fire behavior”. |
| The three fires in the Bay Area are raging across more than 200,000 hectares, and have destroyed nearly 1,000 homes and structures. Seven people are reported to have been killed. | The three fires in the Bay Area are raging across more than 200,000 hectares, and have destroyed nearly 1,000 homes and structures. Seven people are reported to have been killed. |
| At one of the three blazes, the CZU Lightning Complex fire in the Santa Cruz mountains, south of San Francisco, authorities announced the discovery of the body of a 70-year-old man in a remote area called Last Chance on Sunday. | At one of the three blazes, the CZU Lightning Complex fire in the Santa Cruz mountains, south of San Francisco, authorities announced the discovery of the body of a 70-year-old man in a remote area called Last Chance on Sunday. |
| Meanwhile the LNU Lightning Complex fire, in wine country north of San Francisco, and SCU Lightning Complex, south-east of the city, have grown to be two of the three largest fires in state history, both burning more than 500 square miles. | Meanwhile the LNU Lightning Complex fire, in wine country north of San Francisco, and SCU Lightning Complex, south-east of the city, have grown to be two of the three largest fires in state history, both burning more than 500 square miles. |
| The LNU fire has been the most deadly and destructive, accounting for five deaths and 845 destroyed homes and other buildings. | The LNU fire has been the most deadly and destructive, accounting for five deaths and 845 destroyed homes and other buildings. |