Heatwave fueling wildfires across California
California declares state of emergency; Jeff Paul reports.
Hundreds of wildfires were raging across California Wednesday, with almost two dozen considered major or complex, Gov. Gavin Newsom said as the state faces evacuations and scorching conditions.
A historic heat wave and sustained winds have complicated firefighters’ efforts, according to the governor’s office. The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings across the Central Valley, northeastern California and northwestern Nevada, indicating a high fire danger until at least Thursday evening. Large parts of the state also are under excessive heat warnings.
Flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires jump Interstate 80 in Vacaville, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020. The highway was closed in both directions shortly afterward. Fire crews across the region scrambled to contain dozens of wildfires sparked by lightning strikes as a statewide heat wave continues. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
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The fight against the wildfires turned deadly when a water-dropping helicopter crashed in western Fresno County Wednesday morning, according to state fire officials.
The pilot of the Bell UH-1H died in the crash about 9 miles south of Coalinga while battling the Hills Fire, authorities said. There was one person aboard.
As the fires continued to scorch wide swaths of the state, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal-Fire) urged residents to prepare their families with supplies and evacuation plans.
“There’s no question…the total number of fires last year was substantially lower than the activity we’re experiencing this year,” Newsom said during a news conference Wednesday.
He declared a statewide emergency Tuesday as crews battled flames across the Golden State, paving the way for federal relief and mutual aid from other states.
The number of fires – more than 360 across the state as of Wednesday afternoon, 23 of them considered major or complex – has stretched responders’ resources and forced evacuations in multiple communities, Newsom said.
Some of them followed more than 10,000 lightning strikes during record heat over the last three days, according to Newsom. He also said they do not appear to be as severe as last year's deadly Camp Fire or the massive Kincade Fire.
“We’re looking forward to things cooling down on the West Coast,” he said, not only because favorable weather conditions could help firefighters control the flames, but also to help the state's "energy procurement."
In addition to the fire risk, the heat wave also led to rolling blackouts, and Newsom urged residents to set air conditioners above 78 degrees to conserve power. Utilities also asked residents to voluntarily conserve energy.
According to the National Weather Service, a Pacific cold front is expected to move in within the next couple of days to offer relief to northern California, but a further look ahead shows temperatures could quickly bounce back up.
“That said, we are in a better state of preparedness,” he added, citing some of the state’s recent forest and vegetation management efforts, as well as new funding to hire more firefighters.
Mutual aid units from both inside and outside the state were deployed to help contain the blazes, with more than 7,000 firefighters responding, according to a Cal-Fire spokesman.
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“California, and its federal and local partners are working in lockstep to meet the challenge and remain vigilant in the face of continued dangerous weather conditions,” Newsom said.
Separately, he also announced that the state would be receiving federal assistance for the Carmel Fire in Monterey County, which has scorched 1,200 acres in the day since it broke out and was threatening to spread.
Matt Nichols tries to save his home as the LNU Lightning Complex fires tear through Vacaville, Calif., on Aug. 19. Fire crews across the region scrambled to contain dozens of wildfires sparked by lightning strikes as a statewide heat wave continues. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
The major fires include the Apple Fire around Riverside County, which Newsom said was now 95 percent contained – and also the Lake, Loyalton and Holser fires, which were all at least 30 percent contained.
“They’re still active, they’re major fires, but we’re seeing some real containment,” he said. “We’re seeing real progress.”
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Some are fire complexes, which involve multiple fires spaced apart from one another but burning around the same geographic locations, including the new CZU August and LNU Lightning Complex fires -- still with zero containment -- near San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Lake and Napa counties on Wednesday afternoon.
Evacuation orders and warnings were issued in parts of those communities, according to Cal-Fire, affecting thousands. At least 50 structures already have been destroyed, and hundreds more are still in danger. Even the nearby Travis Air Force Base was evacuated due to the LNU Lightning Complex fire.
In some parts of the state, where firefighters have made progress containing the blazes, authorities have begun lifting evacuation orders, including around the Morgan Territory and Marsh Creek Road in Contra Costa County.
But new developments continued into the evening, with authorities giving multiple updates on evacuation orders and road closures, especially in northern California near the Bay Area -- including new evacuations in Alameda County along Mines Road.
Shortly after 5 p.m., PT, the California Highway Patrol's Golden Gate Division announced that Interstate 80 was closed in both directions between Cherry Glenn Road and Airbase Parkway.
Authorities later issued another evacuation warning for Sonoma County affecting all areas between the coast and the southern fork of the Gualala River as well as the area south of Kruse Ranch and Howser Bridge roads down to Fort Ross Road.
After 6 p.m., authorities had ordered evacuations in Santa Cruz County around Alba Road, Hubbard Gulch and Fanning Grade.
Cal-Fire was also treating injured civilians who were rescued from the SCU Lightning Complex Fire, which had engulfed more than 100,000 acres by 7 p.m., officials said.
Shortly after that time, authorities ordered evacuations for a slew of Napa County communities, including Angwin, Deer Park, St. Helena Hospital, areas around Highway 29 and Silverado Trail, and more.
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