Firefighters battle McKinney blaze

California’s largest fire this year has taken at least four lives and was forcing thousands of people to evacuate

Photo by REUTERS

California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency, saying the fire had ‘destroyed homes’ and ‘threatened critical infrastructure’.
The fire was ‘intensified and spread by dry fuels, extreme drought conditions, high temperatures, winds and lightning storms’, Newsom said in a statement.
More than 2,000 residents were under evacuation orders and some 200 more were under evacuation warnings, according to the California Office of Emergency Services, mostly in Siskiyou County.
“Surrounding areas should be ready to leave if needed. Please don’t hesitate to evacuate,” the Siskiyou County Sheriff tweeted.
Nearly 650 people were working to douse the blaze, the National Wildfire Co-ordinating Group said.
Firefighting forces were sent from nearby Oregon to help containment efforts, the Oregon State Fire Marshal said.
The record-breaking blaze was sparked just days after the year’s previous largest fire raged in central California.
The Oak Fire near Yosemite National Park broke out in mid-July and spread rapidly, destroying 41 buildings and forcing thousands to evacuate.
California, which is facing a punishing drought, still has months of fire season ahead of it.

Based on the materials of www.bbc.com