Firefighters overtaken by flames in California mountains

More than a dozen California firefighters trying to protect a fire station from flames were overrun by blaze, and several were hurt.

Elsewhere, military helicopters rescued more than 150 people stranded in burning wilderness.

Fourteen firefighters deployed emergency shelters as flames overtook m on Tuesday and destroyed Nacimiento Station in Los Padres National Forest on state's central coast, US Forest Service said.

y suffered from burns and smoke inhalation, and three were flown to a hospital in Fres, where one was in critical condition.

injuries came as wind-driven flames of more than two dozen major fires chewed through bone-dry California after a scorching Labour Day weekend that saw a dramatic airlift of more than 200.

Rescue choppers pulled ar 164 people from Sierra National Forest through morning and were working to rescue 17 ors, said Goverr Gavin Newsom, who described pilots wearing night-vision goggles to find a place to land.

"It's where training meets moment, but it always takes cour, conviction and grit of real people doing real work," said Newsom, who called fires historic.

California has already set a record with nearly 2.3 million acres burned this year, and worst part of wildfire season is just beginning. previous acre record was set just two years ago and included deadliest wildfire in state history, which was started by power lines and swept through community of Paradise and killed 85 people.

That 2018 blaze forced state's largest utility, Pacific Gas & Electric, to seek bankruptcy protection and guard against new disasters by cutting off power pre-emptively when fire conditions are exceptionally dangerous.

With high and dry winds expected until Wednesday, utility cut power to 172,000 customers over weekend and more outs were expected in rrn California. More than 14,000 firefighters are battling fires around state.

Two of three largest blazes in state history are burning in San Francisco Bay Area. California was t alone: Hurricane-force winds and high temperatures kicked up wildfires across parts of Pacific rthwest over holiday weekend, burning hundreds of thousands of acres and mostly destroying small town of Malden in eastern Washington.

In Sourn California, fires burned in Los Angeles, San Bernardi and San Diego counties, and forecast called for arrival of region's torious Santa Ana winds.

US Forest Service on Monday decided to close all eight national forests in region and to shutter campgrounds statewide.

"Existing fires are displaying extreme fire behaviour. New fire starts are likely. Wear conditions are worsening, and we simply do t have eugh resources to fully fight and contain every fire," said Randy Moore, a forester for Forest Service's Pacific Southwest region that covers California.

Lynne Tolmachoff, spokeswoman for California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, kwn as Cal Fire, said it's "unnerving" to have reached a record for acre burned so soon.

September and October usually are worst months for fires because vegetation has dried out and high winds are more common.

While two mammoth San Francisco Bay Area fires were largely contained after burning for three weeks, firefighters struggled to corral several or major blazes ahead of expected winds.

Evacuation orders were expanded to more mountain communities Monday as so-called Creek Fire burned through Sierra National Forest in Central California. It was one of many recent major fires that displayed terrifyingly swift movement.

fire advanced 24 kilometres in a single day during weekend. Since starting Friday from an unkwn cause, it has burned 549 square kilometres. Forty-five homes and 20 or structures were confirmed destroyed so far.

Debra Rios wasn't home Monday when order came to evacuate her hometown of Auberry, just rast of Fres. Sheriff's deputies went to her ranch property to pick up her 92-year-old mor, Shirley MacLean. y reunited at an evacuation centre.

"I hope like heck fire doesn't reach my little ranch," Rios said. "It's t looking good right w. It's an awfully big fire." Mountain roads saw a steady stream of cars and trucks leaving community of about 2,300 on Monday afteron. Firefighters working in steep terrain saved tiny town of Shaver Lake from flames that roared down hillsides toward a marina.

About 30 houses were destroyed in remote hamlet of Big Creek, resident Toby Wait said.

"About half private homes in town burned down," he said. "Words cant even begin to describe devastation of this community." A school, church, library, historic general store and a major hydroelectric plant were spared in community of about 200 residents, Wait told Fres Bee.

Sheriff's deputies went door to door to make sure residents complied with evacuation orders. Officials hoped to keep fire from pushing west toward Yosemite National Park.

On Saturday, National Guard rescuers in two military helicopters airlifted 214 people to safety after flames trapped m in a wooded camping area near Mammoth Pool Reservoir.

Twelve people were hospitalized, two of m with serious injuries. One of Sourn California fires closed mountain roads in Angeles National Forest and forced evacuation of historic Mount Wilson Observatory.

Late Monday night, Los Angeles County Fire Department told residents of Duarte, Bradbury and Monrovia near forest to get ready for a possible evacuation.

Cal Fire said so-called El Dorado Fire in San Bernardi County started Saturday morning when a smoke-generating pyrotechnic device was used by a couple to reveal ir baby's .