Strong winds from thunderstorms and high temperatures in Northern California have spread the wildfires rapidly, spreading to more than 51,000 acres in two days, making it the largest state wildfire so far this year and displacing rural areas. .
The fire, dubbed the McKinney Fire, began burning dry wood Friday in the Klamath National Forest in Siskiyou County, California, near the Oregon border, officials said.
Authorities had reported no fire-related injuries or fatalities as of Sunday morning.California Governor Gavin Newsom Declared Nearly 2,000 people were ordered to evacuate the Siskiyou County emergency on Saturday. Since then, he has 1,000 more people under evacuation orders, said Courtney Crider, spokeswoman for the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office.
By Sunday morning, the fire was not very close to the city of Yreka. Population about 7,800But Crider said more than 100 homes and other structures had already been destroyed in the surrounding area.
The heat from the fire produced giant clouds called pyrocumulonimbus clouds.fire-breathing cloud dragonAccording to the National Weather Service in Medford, Oregon, it essentially generated its own weather and reached over 39,000 feet above.
Brad Scharf, a meteorologist with the Medford Weather Service, said in a phone call on Sunday, “The fire caused a thunderstorm that may have sparked new fires nearby.
The blaze, which was 0% contained as of Sunday morning, is one of more than 50 large wildfires and combined fires to erupt in parts of the United States so far this year. National Interagency Fire CenterIn the foothills of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, oak fires have destroyed more than 19,000 acres and threatened thousands of homes and businesses.that fire 64 percent Included on Sundays.
The McKinney wildfires come at a volatile time for the state facing unusually high temperatures along with the Pacific Northwest this week as a heatwave blankets the region.
On Saturday, firefighters shifted their focus from fighting the perimeter of the fire to helping residents evacuate and protecting buildings. According to the U.S. Forest Service.
Videos and photos of the blaze showed plumes of smoke billowing from the trees as the flames blanketed Klamath National Forest in an orange glow. reading police station Helped residents evacuate while watching forests burn in the distance.
The state’s Emergency Services Agency said it would “bring attention to people in the Far North”. said on Twitter Saturday. “#McKinneyFire is moving quickly and aggressively with weather conditions.”
Three additional fires in the county — the China 2, Evans, and Kelsey Creek fires — have combined to burn about 115 acres, Crider said. The Kelsey Creek fire was caused by an overnight lightning strike, she added.
Officials and meteorologists were worried on Sunday that thunderstorms could continue into Tuesday night. said to occur.
But the smoke from the McKinney fire could cool temperatures and “cancel out some of the thunderstorm component,” he added.
Still, Klamath National Forest says: statement On Sunday, “these conditions can be very dangerous for firefighters,” as unsteady winds push fires in random directions.
“It’s going to be a difficult and complicated forecast,” Schaaf said.