California nears milestone: 4 million acres burned in fires

California is poised to hit a fearsome milestone: 4 million acres burned this year by wildfires that have killed 31 people and incinerated hundreds of homes in what is alrey worst fire season on record. Flames have scorched an area larger than Connecticut. Fire crews at a blaze in wine country rth of San Francisco were on high alert Friday as forecasters warned of extreme fire danger into Saturday.

Powerful winds didn't materialize early Friday, allowing fire crews a chance to make gains. But winds up to 30 mph (48 kph) were forecast to push through hills of Napa and Soma counties as Glass Fire, which exploded in size earlier in week, threatens more than 28,000 homes and or buildings.

“So far we have t seen velocity of winds that we were expecting,” Cal Fire Battalion Chief Mark Brunton said.

“But re will be gusts and ... we do have hot embers and it won't take much to take that and blow it into a very dry receptive fuel bed. That gives us cause for concern.”

Winds were blowing at higher elevations on western side of fire. Crews expected a long battle to keep flames from jumping containment lines and to prevent spot fires from leaping ahe to spark new blazes. More crews and equipment were deployed in and around Calistoga, a town of 5,000 people kwn for hot springs, mud baths and wineries in hills of Napa County about 70 miles (110 km) rth of San Francisco.

area was also experiencing high temperatures and thick smoke that fouled air throughout San Francisco Bay Area. Numerous studies have linked bigger wildfires in America to climate change from burning of coal, oil and gas. Scientists say climate change has me California much drier, meaning trees and or plants are more flammable. Glass Fire is fourth major blaze in region in three years and comes ahe of third anniversary of an October 8, 2017, wildfire that killed 22 people.

Around state, 17,000 firefighters were battling nearly two dozen major blazes. Virtually all dam has occurred since mid-August when five of six largest fires in state history erupted. Lightning strikes caused some of most devastating blazes.

Cal Fire Deputy Chief Jonathan Cox said wildfires have scorched 3.9 million acres in California since August 15. That figure, which works out to more than 6,000 square miles (15,500 square km), is astonishing even in a state that has h its fair share of fires.

“We're at a historic moment where we are going to cross 4 million acres burned mark in California this year,” Cox said.

“And unfortunately, we're just getting into some of most critical fire months in California.”

death toll increased to 31 people after a person burned in LNU Lightning Complex died from ir injuries, Cal Fire said in a statement. That cluster of fires sparked by lightning in mid-August in San Francisco Bay Area was fully contained on Thursday.

Fire officials said Glass Fire was ir top priority. Since erupting Sunday, fire has destroyed nearly 600 buildings, including 220 homes and nearly same number of commercial structures. About 80,000 people were under evacuation orders and officials warned that more were possible. Fire and public safety officials asked people to remain vigilant, stay out of evacuation zones and quit demanding that officers let m back into off-limits neighbourhoods.

About 150 miles (240 km) to rth of wine country, Zogg Fire, which also erupted during Sunday's high winds and grew quickly, has killed four people and destroyed 153 buildings. weekend was expected to usher in some cooling — or less intense heat and long-range forecast models hinted at possibility of rain. Hurricane Marie, spinning in Pacific southwest of Baja California, was expected to weaken by middle of next week but leftover tropical moisture may be pulled rthward and bring “impressive rainfall” to rrn California, forecasters said. 

(Im Credits: AP)

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