CA Fires Latest: 1,400 Structures Destroyed, 7 Dead

Kat Schuster
Updated ·11 min read

CALIFORNIA — As California took 233 more lightning hits overnight, firefighters managed to contain multiple smaller fires as the SCU Complex Fire took the mantle of second largest fire in state history. Weather conditions remained more favorable than last week, but crews maintain vigilance for more strikes Tuesday.

Amid scorching heatwaves and ash peppering counties across the state, Cal Fire said Tuesday morning that the 1.25 million acres burned over the last few weeks makes the fires collectively larger than the State of Delaware.

More than 13,233 lightning strikes have hit California since Aug. 15, igniting more than 650 new wildfires, which have now burned more than 1.25 million acres. More than 100,000 people have been displaced from their homes, and seven have died in the catastrophic blazes, which have overwhelmed firefighters in California.

Fire crews are shorthanded and overwhelmed this season, with only 14,000 firefighters and 2,400 engines are currently battling 17 major fires.

In his Monday briefing, Newsom acknowledged this and said more aid will be arriving within 48 hours.

2,500 Lightning Strikes: SEE

According to Newsom, 375 engines have been requested from out of state, with eight en route from Montana. He added that 91 engines arrived in the past few days from Arizona, Indiana, New Mexico, Texas, Oregon, Utah and Washington. Additional National Guard Support will also be arriving from four states.

This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows an overview of the SCU Lightning Complex wildfires, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020, in California. Maxar’s WorldView-3 satellite is equipped with a Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) sensor that penetrates the smoke and enables users to detect active fires, hot spots and accurately map and measure burn areas. With SWIR imagery, burned vegetation appears in shades of orange/rust colors while healthy (not burned) vegetation appears in shades of blue. Active fires and hot spots glow orange/yellow. (Satellite image © 2020 Maxar Technologies via AP)

"We are in a different climate, and we are dealing with different climate conditions that are precipitating fires that we haven't seen in modern recorded history," Newsom said at his Monday afternoon briefing.

Compared with 2019, California has already significantly tipped the scales in total acres burned and number of wildfires this year, Cal Fire said Monday morning.

"An astonishing 2,700 more wildfires have occurred this year than last, with an additional 1.4 million acres burned during the same time period," the agency said Monday in a news release.

The SCU Complex Fire surpassed the the LNU Complex Fire overnight, which had gained 27 percent containment Tuesday morning. Having burned 363,772 acres at 10 percent containment, the SCU Fire has taken the mantle of second largest wildfire in California history.

Meanwhile, firefighters battling smaller fires such as the Salt, Hills, Jones, Elsmere and Post fires finally found success in the last 24 hours, nearly containing all of them.

The CZU fires had started to make some significant headway in suppressing the fires in the Santa Cruz mountains Monday, upping the containment to 17 percent. However, the fire had destroyed 330 buildings — twice the amount from yesterday.

A 70-year-old man was found dead in Santa Cruz County on Sunday night, bringing the death toll to seven this fire season.

"This is a coastal fire ... in the forest with a lot of redwoods that have simply never seen forest fires because of the weather conditions," Newsom said of the CZU Fire.

As 289 new lightning strikes kept firefighters on edge Sunday night, crews continued to battle the lightning complex fires and hundreds of other blazes burning over 1 million acres Monday.

Although forecasted thunderstorms were not as severe as predicted, 10 smaller fires broke out Sunday, which Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday was to be expected.

SEE ALSO: CA Wildfires Ignite Political Firestorm

The two largest fires, the LNU Lightning Complex and SCU Lightning Complex, are considered the second- and third-largest fires in state history. As of Monday, the LNU fires had scorched 350,030 acres with 22 percent containment, and the SCU fires had burned 347,196 acres with 10 percent containment.

With 2,211 evacuees in shelters, college dormitories and hotel rooms, there has been some anxiety surrounding COVID-19 and how to enforce social distancing in congregate shelters.

As Newsom visited several shelters in Northern California, he confirmed that temperature checks have been required as well as screening questions, strict mask-wearing guidelines and, in some facilities, tents set up to create barriers between households. Air purifiers are also being used in shelters and camps for fire crews.

However, he said the majority of evacuees are staying in non-congregate shelters such as the 31 hotels that have become available around Northern California and some college dormitories.

Although the National Weather Service called off the Red Flag Warning in the Bay Area, the warning is still in effect for much of Northern California as crews continue to be wary of more lightning strikes Monday.

The National Weather Service was forecasting hot, dry conditions, dry lightning and heavy wind gusts of up to 65 mph in Northern California this week; so far, the thunderstorms have been somewhat mild.

"This dry lightning will likely hamper efforts to contain the current fires and may spark new fires," Cal Fire said in a statewide news release Sunday.

Cal Fire predicts that lightning storms could persist in October and an above-normal fire potential could persist through October in Northern California.

Seven have died in the out-of-control fires, 115,000 have evacuated their homes, and more than 3,488 structures have been destroyed. The fires have hampered air quality up and down the state, prompting officials to issue evacuation warnings and air quality advisories.

More evacuation orders were issued in Alameda County at 3 a.m. Sunday, forcing thousands to flee from their homes and business fronts from the SCU Lightning Complex.

Newsom also secured more federal assistance from President Donald Trump on Saturday.

The Presidential Major Disaster Declaration is expected to help citizens in impacted counties by offering access to crisis counseling, housing and unemployment assistance as well as legal services. It will also provide federal assistance to help state, tribal and local governments fund fire agencies, recovery and other protective measures.

"Thank you to the President for your partnership and granting this urgent Major Disaster Declaration," Newsom said in a news release Saturday. "California is battling two of the largest fires in our history and has seen nearly 600 new fires in the last week caused by dry lightning strikes. These are unprecedented times and conditions, but California is strong — we will get through this."

According to Cal Fire, the military is also supporting the effort with several C-130 aircrafts equipped with fire fighting systems that double as air tankers.

These Surreal Photos Demonstrate The Severity Of CA's Wildfires

"The hots are getting hotter. The dries are getting drier. Climate change is real," Newsom said as he addressed the wildfires in a video recorded for the Democratic National Convention on Thursday night. "If you are in denial about climate change, come to California."

Here are some of the major fires that were burning in California as of Sunday night, according to Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service:

SCU Lightning Complex

  • 363,772 acres and 10 percent contained as of 8:14 a.m. Aug. 25

  • Start Date: Aug. 18

  • 20 fires in the complex

  • Marsh 3,000 acres as of Aug. 24

  • Canyon/Reservoir (merged) 285,485 acres as of Aug. 24

  • Deer 3,104 acres as of Aug. 24

  • Counties: Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Stanislaus

  • Location: Multiple locations throughout Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties

  • Multiple evacuations ordered

  • READ MORE: South Bay Shelter Opens For CZU, SCU Fire Evacuees

  • READ MORE: More Evacuations And A Perfect Storm

LNU Lightning Complex Fire

  • 352,913 acres with 27 percent containment as of 7:10 a.m. Aug. 25

  • Hennessey Fire (Merged Fires — Gamble, Green, Aetna, Markley, Spanish, Morgan, Round): Hennessey Ridge Road in Napa County, California. The fire was 293,602 acres and 26 percent contained Aug. 24

  • Walbridge Fire (merged with Stewarts): West of Healdsburg. The fire was 54,068 acres with 5 percent containment Aug. 24.

  • Meyers Fire: North of Jenner. The fire was 2,360 acres and 95 percent contained as of Aug. 24.

  • Start Date: Aug. 17

  • Counties: Napa, Sonoma, Lake, Yolo, Solano

  • READ MORE: LNU Lightning Complex: Fires Hit 350K Acres with 22% Containment

CZU August Lightning Fire

River Fire

Carmel Fire

Moc Fire, Tuolumne County

  • 2,800 acres, brush, 40 percent contained as of 8:36 a.m. Aug. 25

  • Evacuations in place

Apple Fire

BTU/TGU Lightning Complex Fire

  • 3,527 acres and 40 percent contained as of Aug. 24

  • Start Date: Aug. 17

  • Elkhorn 33,720 acres

  • Ivory 13,000 acres

  • Potters (5-4) 927 acres

  • Counties: Butte, Tehama and Glenn counties

  • Location: Southwest of Red Bank Road

Lake Fire

  • 31,089 acres and 65 percent contained as of 8:07 a.m. Aug. 25

  • Start Date: Aug. 12

  • County: Los Angeles

  • Location: Lake Hughes Road and Prospect Road, southwest Lake Hughes

North Complex Fire

  • 41,880 acres, 5 percent contained as of Aug. 24

  • Start Date: Aug. 18

  • County: Plumas

  • Location: Flemmings Sheep Camp

  • Evacuations in place

Holser Fire

Salt Fire

  • 1,789 acres, 100 percent contained as of Aug. 25

  • Start Date: Aug. 18

  • County: Calaveras

  • Location: Salt Springs Valley Reservoir

Hills Fire

  • 2,121 acres, 100 percent contained as of 9:10 p.m. Aug. 24

  • Start Date: Aug. 15

  • County: Fresno

  • Location: Highway 33 and Sutter Avenue, south of Coalinga in Fresno County

Woodward Fire

Dolan Fire

Jones Fire

  • 705 acres, 78 percent contained as of 7:37 a.m. Aug. 25

  • Start Date: Aug. 17

  • County: Nevada

  • Location: Jones Bar Road, Yuba River Drainage, northwest of Nevada City

  • Evacuation in place

Elsmere Fire

  • 200 acres, 100 percent contained as of Aug. 24

  • Start Date: Aug. 3

  • County: Los Angeles

  • Location: Elsmere Grapevine Road and Santa Clarita Truck Trail, Newhall

Post Fire

  • 120 acres, 100 percent contained as of Aug. 24

  • Start Date: Aug. 2

  • County: Los Angeles

  • Location: Northbound I-5 and Highway 138, south of Gorman in Los Angeles County

(As Cal Fire's website has been down intermittently, here are some alternate places to find the latest information on fires burning across California: The National Forest Service's Fire Map I Cal Fire's official Twitter account I Cal Fire's Official Facebook page)

State, federal, local, and military resources are on the front lines aggressively battling the dynamic wildfires across California. As they continue their efforts, you can do your part to plan, prepare, and stay aware. Learn more at https://t.co/sWZPp02O9t. pic.twitter.com/OattIdjyAl— CAL FIRE (@CAL_FIRE) August 21, 2020

This article originally appeared on the Across California Patch