(CN) — California spent the Labor Day weekend broiling under the one-two punch of a brutal heatwave and wildfires burning across the state that forced thousands to flee their homes amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Wildfires have burned over 2 million acres since the start of the year, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) — a new record, with at least two months to go in the 2020 wildfire season.
On Sunday, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a statewide emergency due to the fires and the extreme weather conditions.
The holiday weekend saw tremendous fire activity and more may be on the way as strong winds kicked up in the northern part of the state Tuesday morning.
Fires ring the San Francisco Bay Area and are tearing through several national forests, which were closed across the state due to the extreme fire danger.
“The wildfire situation throughout California is dangerous and must be taken seriously,” said regional forester Randy Moore with the U.S. Forest Service. “Existing fires are displaying extreme fire behavior, new fire starts are likely, weather conditions are worsening, and we simply do not have enough resources to fully fight and contain every fire.”
During a press briefing Tuesday afternoon, Newsom noted over 7,600 fires have blackened 2.3 million acres so far this year. At this time in 2019, roughly 5,000 wildfires had charred just 118,000 acres, he said.
The governor said that unlike last year, an overlap of extreme situations are feeding the 2020 wildfire season.
“Yes, I conclude that climate change has profoundly impacted the reality we are experiencing,” Newsom said.
People fled homes and campgrounds across the state as fires burned near densely populated communities and vacation sites alike.
The Creek Fire started Friday evening and has already burned over 143,000 acres across three counties, making a 15-mile run in a single day, according to the U.S. Forest Service. About 200 campers were airlifted from Wagner Mammoth Pool Campground by the California National Guard when the blaze surrounded them.
-
The Creek Fire burns through the Sierra Nevada. (Amy Cho photo for Courthouse News) -
Smoke from the Creek Fire seen on Highway 41 about 10 miles from the entrance to Yosemite National Park. (Courthouse News photo / Barbara Leonard)
In Mendocino County, the Oak Fire has burned over 800 acres of grass, brush, oak and pine trees, according to Cal Fire. That fire was reported Monday afternoon and is blanketing the nearby San Francisco Bay Area with smoke.
Lightning-sparked complex fires continue to burn in Northern California, nearly a month after they began. The CZU August Lightning Complex in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties has burned over 86,000 acres and is 81% contained, according to Cal Fire, but nearly 1,500 structures have been destroyed.
The LNU Lightning Complex, burning over 375,000 acres across Napa, Lake, Sonoma, Colusa, Solano and Yolo counties, is nearly contained. That complex has also destroyed nearly 1,500 structures.
The largest blaze of 2020 so far is the SCU Lightning Complex, which has ripped through nearly 397,000 acres in Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Alameda, Santa Clara and Contra Costa counties. It is 94% contained.
And the Dolan Fire has burned over 73,000 acres about 10 miles south of Big Sur in the Los Padres National Forest.
To the south in San Bernardino County, the El Dorado Fire has burned over 10,000 acres near the city of Yucaipa. Cal Fire says a smoke-releasing “pyrotechnic device” or firework at a gender-reveal party sparked the fire after 10 a.m. Saturday.
“It’s a reminder that the vast majority of fires that we experience on an annual basis come from individuals making bad decisions or by simple neglect and accident,” said Newsom. “It appears to be at this moment an example of another fire that was not Mother Nature but manmade in this case.”
The governor said officials are investigating the incident.
In San Diego County, over 17,000 acres have burned in the Cleveland National Forest as the Valley Fire has spread rapidly and is making its way toward the communities of Corte Madera and communication towers at Mt. Pinos.
