The second- and third-largest fires in California history are expected to grow in the coming days as a new storm system sweeps across the state, producing dry lightning and gusty winds.
The National Water Service issued red flag warnings about large swaths of Northern and Central California that entered before sunrise Sunday.
The storms could create more fires and cause existing fires to spread rapidly, which is unwelcome news for firefighters, who are already stretching out thin.
Crews on Saturday were fighting over dangerous fires from the Santa Cruz Mountains to wine country and beyond, with a slight interruption in the weather to get a jump on the collisions, many of them triggered by lightning strikes.
Also on Saturday, Govin Newsom announced that the White House has approved California’s request for a presidential major disaster declaration to support the state’s emergency call for fires in Northern California.
The fire of about 1.2 million acres in California in just one month, according to a Times analysis, is a surprising toll so early in the fire season. Throughout 2019, more than 259,000 acres burned in California, according to the Idaho-based National Interagency Fire Center, although that followed a relatively wet winter.
The blasts include the LNU Lightning Complex fire, which on more than 340,000 acres is the second largest fire in California history. The SCU Lightning Complex fire, currently covering more than 339,000 acres, is the third largest.
Fires for arson have been burning in the region in recent days. But firefighters say they have no resources.
In some places, officials said they were turned away for help from the state and left to request equipment and manpower from volunteers and local agencies.
“Many of these firefighters have been on the line for 72 hours, and everyone is running on steam,” said Assemblyman Jim Wood (D-Healdsburg), whose neighborhood includes land currently under siege. “Our first responders work on the rough side of everything they have.”
With fire extinguishers overwhelming the available crews, fire experts said state officials are now forced to prioritize which fire sources will get resources and change how equipment and crews will be used. Although officials often try to build defensive lines to contain fire extinguishers, fire experts said the focus now is on saving lives and structures. This means that the current blisters can burn for weeks.
“At the statewide level, we’re in this mode where we’re starting to ask where the biggest loss is going, what’s the highest priority, and that’s where the resources are going, ‘said Lenya Quinn-Davidson, a firefighter. specialist with the Cooperative Extension of the University of California.
Already, nearly 15,000 homes and commercial buildings have been destroyed by fire since August 15, marking the beginning of what officials called a “lightning siege” of about 12,000 strikes that started an estimated 585 fires in California.
In counties of San Mateo and Santa Cruz, the fire of the CZU Lightning Complex threatened several communities and forced 77,000 people out of their homes. The blaze started as a collection of about 22 fires that largely merged into one, challenging firefighters as they tried to keep the flames away from the cities that supported the rural, mountainous area.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department said five motorcycle crews, consisting of 23 engines and 101 firefighters, had deployed to assist in the effort.
The fire had consumed 71,000 acres and was 8% contained as of Sunday morning.
Officials asked people to stay out of evacuation areas to avoid hazards such as fire and fallen trees and wires, and to keep roads open to emergency vehicles.
They also warned about criminals benefiting from the crisis. Authorities arrested five people on Saturday morning on suspicion of looting, large-scale theft, burglary and conspiracy after they were stopped driving away from the Fall Creek Drive area, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said.
Someone also broke into a firefighter’s department car while he was out fighting the fire, stealing his wallet and turning over his bank accounts, Cal Fire operative Mark Brunton said at a briefing Sunday.
‘It’s sad, it’s sick and we’re doing everything we can to help the community and unfortunately this [things] barre, ”said Brunton.
Meanwhile, local officials also continued to beg tourists to stay away.
The Santa Cruz County Emergency Operations Center said it asked visitors to remember to travel by Sept. 1 to hold overnight stays for evacuees.
More than 45,000 residents of the province have been displaced by the fires, and although the province serves 12 shelters, capacity is limited due to COVID-19, officials said. Many local hotels, motels and holiday cottages are also booked.
“Do not visit us now,” the province said in a tweet. “Air quality is poor, as it is everywhere, and we are dealing with an unparalleled disaster. This is not a time for a day at the beach. ”
