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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 |
| ABC News has shared this video from firefighters driving through a wildfire. According to the news channel 14,000 firefighters have now been deployed in California. | |
| The San Lorenzo Valley water district, 70 miles south of San Francisco and 10 miles north of Santa Cruz, has lost 4.5 million gallons of water after fire melted a main water pipeline. | The San Lorenzo Valley water district, 70 miles south of San Francisco and 10 miles north of Santa Cruz, has lost 4.5 million gallons of water after fire melted a main water pipeline. |
| KSBW8 reported that the five mile long pipe melted due to intense heat from San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties. | KSBW8 reported that the five mile long pipe melted due to intense heat from San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties. |
| “Officials with the SLV Water District had to refocus water flow so firefighters battling the CZU Lightning Complex Fire will have access to water,” KSBW8 reported. Firefighters have enough water to keep battling the blaze. | “Officials with the SLV Water District had to refocus water flow so firefighters battling the CZU Lightning Complex Fire will have access to water,” KSBW8 reported. Firefighters have enough water to keep battling the blaze. |
| The water main break impacts about 8,000 residents, who have been evacuated due to the blaze. | The water main break impacts about 8,000 residents, who have been evacuated due to the blaze. |
| The Ranch Fire, which burned some 410,000 acres in California in 2018, is the largest fire in state’s history. | The Ranch Fire, which burned some 410,000 acres in California in 2018, is the largest fire in state’s history. |
| According to the latest statistics from the California department of forestry and fire protection (Cal Fire) two of the fires burning outside of the San Francisco Bay Area are not far behind. | According to the latest statistics from the California department of forestry and fire protection (Cal Fire) two of the fires burning outside of the San Francisco Bay Area are not far behind. |
| The LNU fire, in wine country north of San Francisco, is now just over 350,000 acres, and 22% contained, according to Cal Fire: | The LNU fire, in wine country north of San Francisco, is now just over 350,000 acres, and 22% contained, according to Cal Fire: |
| While the SCU Lightning Complex, south-east of San Francisco, spans 347,196. It is 10% contained. | While the SCU Lightning Complex, south-east of San Francisco, spans 347,196. It is 10% contained. |
| That places the two blazes at second and third in the state’s largest fires in history. | That places the two blazes at second and third in the state’s largest fires in history. |
| 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. | 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: | 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: | 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. |