California is struggling to overcome massive wildfires burning forests and homes. More than 12,000 fire-fighters working to control the fire that has killed 6 people.
At least 43 people, including fire-fighters, have been injured. Hundreds of buildings have burned down. Thousands more can burn.
Governor Gavin Newsom warned on Friday that wildfires can devastate homes. Several US states are on the way to help control the blazes. This wildfire is among the 560 fires some of the largest fires the state has seen.
Gov. Newsom requested assistance from Australia and Canada.
“These fires are stretching our resources, our personnel,” he said.
According to the international news agency BBC, More than 12,000 dry lightning strikes started the blazes during a historic heatwave in which thermometers in Death Valley National Park reached what could be the highest ever temperature reliably recorded.
Emergency officials said that some of the fires have doubled in size on Friday. Over 175,000 residents were forced to leave the area.
Gov. Newsom said that two of the fires are now the 7th and 10th largest in the state city. He requested President Donald Trump to sign a major disaster declaration.
Many of the blazes are burning on steep, difficult-to-access terrain and have been fuelled by strong winds. The fires are also threatening larger towns including Santa Cruz where flames reached within a mile of the University of California Santa Cruz campus, reports Reuters.
Assistance from what Gov Newsom called “the world’s best wildfire-fighters” in Australia has been requested.
“We simply haven’t seen anything like this in many, many years,” he said, adding that an area the size of the US state of Rhode Island has already burned within California.
More fire-fighters, engines, and surveillance planes are being sent from other states such as Oregon, New Mexico, and Texas to help.
