Park Fire, a massive wildfire in northern California, has grown to become the sixth-largest wildfire in state history. It has now grown to 368,000 acres (148,924 hectares) and has already destroyed over 100 structures.

The fire, which as per officials started five days ago when a man allegedly pushed a flaming car into a gully, is burning through a remote area about 180 miles (289.68 km) northeast of San Francisco. It has already doubled in size from Friday to Sunday and has destroyed at least 114 structures across four counties.&nbsp;

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:167,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1917}">Firefighters battle the massive fire</h2>

Thousands of firefighters are battling the massive blaze, which continues to expand. As per Reuters, despite the challenging conditions, firefighters are making progress.

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:261,&quot;w&quot;:616,&quot;h&quot;:33,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2011}" href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/president-donaldduck-elon-musk-claims-google-biased-against-trump-interfering-in-us-elections-745191">President Donald...Duck?: Elon Musk claims Google biased against Trump, interfering in US Elections</a>

Dan Collins, a Cal Fire captain, noted that his crew was "still in for quite a firefight today, just because (of) the sheer magnitude and the sheer size of the fire."

He said that the day's high temperatures were expected to be in the high 80s with 25 per cent humidity — more favourable compared to recent days.&nbsp;

As of Monday morning, about 4,800 firefighters were working to build and strengthen control lines, increasing containment from 12 per cent to a higher percentage. Officials have issued evacuation warnings and orders to several communities, including Paradise, which was previously devastated by the 2018 Camp Fire.

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:494,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2244}">Who is behind the fire?</h2>

A man identified as Ronnie Dean Stout II is the suspected arsonist. According to Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey, the accused has been jailed without bond following his identification as the person who pushed the flaming car into the gully.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/california-fire-rages-on-to-become-one-of-states-biggest-ever-744916">California fire rages on to become one of state's biggest ever</a>

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:608,&quot;w&quot;:649,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2358}">California burns under multiple fires</h2>

Another fire, the SQF Lightning Complex fire, which has been burning for two weeks about 350 miles (563.27 km) south of the Park Fire, has seen 33 per cent containment.&nbsp;

The Borel Fire, part of the complex, recently destroyed much of the historic gold mining town of Havilah.

Nationwide, 102 large active fires are burning, with 25 having forced evacuations as of Monday morning, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

(With inputs from agencies)

Park Fire, a massive wildfire in northern California, has grown to become the sixth-largest wildfire in state history. It has now grown to 368,000 acres (148,924 hectares) and has already destroyed over 100 structures.

Park Fire, a massive wildfire in northern California, has grown to become the sixth-largest wildfire in state history. It has now grown to 368,000 acres (148,924 hectares) and has already destroyed over 100 structures. The fire, which as per officials started five days ago when a man allegedly pushed a flaming car into a gully, is burning through a remote area about 180 miles (289.68 km) northeast of San Francisco. It has already doubled in size from Friday to Sunday and has destroyed at least 114 structures across four counties. Firefighters battle the massive fire Thousands of firefighters are battling the massive blaze, which continues to expand. As per Reuters, despite the challenging conditions, firefighters are making progress. Also read | President Donald...Duck?: Elon Musk claims Google biased against Trump, interfering in US Elections Dan Collins, a Cal Fire captain, noted that his crew was "still in for quite a firefight today, just because (of) the sheer magnitude and the sheer size of the fire." He said that the day's high temperatures were expected to be in the high 80s with 25 per cent humidity — more favourable compared to recent days. As of Monday morning, about 4,800 firefighters were working to build and strengthen control lines, increasing containment from 12 per cent to a higher percentage. Officials have issued evacuation warnings and orders to several communities, including Paradise, which was previously devastated by the 2018 Camp Fire. Who is behind the fire? A man identified as Ronnie Dean Stout II is the suspected arsonist. According to Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey, the accused has been jailed without bond following his identification as the person who pushed the flaming car into the gully. Also read | California fire rages on to become one of state's biggest ever California burns under multiple fires Another fire, the SQF Lightning Complex fire, which has been burning for two weeks about 350 miles (563.27 km) south of the Park Fire, has seen 33 per cent containment. The Borel Fire, part of the complex, recently destroyed much of the historic gold mining town of Havilah. Nationwide, 102 large active fires are burning, with 25 having forced evacuations as of Monday morning, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. (With inputs from agencies)

Park Fire becomes California’s sixth-largest wildfire ever; 368,000 acres burnt in just five days

The French media is currently obsessed with an unnamed 30-year-old man who has been nicknamed 'Pyromaniac fireman' for allegedly setting a series of wildfires in France.

The French media is currently obsessed with an unnamed 30-year-old man who has been nicknamed 'Pyromaniac fireman' for allegedly setting a series of wildfires in France. Reportedly, the man, a volunteer firefighter was arrested from the Herault region for starting wildfires with a lighter on May 26, July 21 and most recently, the intervening nights of July 26-27. The Montpellier prosecutors claimed that the man had already accepted to start the fire. When quizzed about why he started the fire and what was the motive behind it, the man revealed that he wanted an intervention from the fire brigade to save him from an 'oppressive' family environment. Moreover, the accused added that such extreme conditions around wildfires brought him an adrenaline rush as he also sought social recognition. “He declared that he had done this in order to provoke an intervention by the fire brigade to save him from an oppressive family environment and because of the excitement these interventions caused him. Adrenaline he called it, these are his own words,” said prosecutor Fabrice Belargent Marie Bar, appearing for the accused stated that her client was remorseful about the incident and apologised to the firemen with whom he worked side by side. He also called the firemen part of his big family. However, ahead of the trial, the local court remanded him into custody. If convicted, the 'Pyromaniac fireman' faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine totalling $153,000. The gender-reveal party of 2020 A few summers back, it was a fateful gender reveal party that led to the catastrophic jungle fires in the El Dorado region of California. The blaze soon torched an area close to 23,000 acres (9,300 hectares) in the months to come as firefighters and the entire state machinery had to pool their resources to control the fire. Read More: California: Gender reveal party sparks fire that burned 7,000 acres of land (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Pyromaniac fireman lights up the jungles to seek adrenaline rush and avoid family

In July, as wildfires tore through the American West, President Joe Biden met with the region’s governors to find better ways to battle the flames. California Governor&nbsp;Gavin Newsom requested use of military satellites that are designed to warn of missile attacks, calling the orbital fleet “a game changer” for spotting and fighting wildfires.

Biden promised to help. “When this meeting is over,” he said, “I’ll be on the phone with the Department of Defense.”

His call wasn’t the first — or the 50th.

The issue of using secret military gear to aid civilian firefighters arose 35 years ago. It grew as the White House, CIA, U.S. Forest Service and other federal agencies sought to establish a national system that warned of undetected wildfires and menacing flare-ups.

The Pentagon allowed tests and a short-lived prototype. But the arrangements were never permanent. The military, eager to safeguard its prerogatives and orbital fleets, was always glad to shut the pipeline down. As a result, officials such as Newsom now have to lobby for emergency access.

But record-setting fires are likely to grow worse and pose grave new dangers that warrant an urgent response, according to proponents of deeper cooperation between officials who combat wildfires and those managing the military spacecraft. The nation can no longer afford endless turf wars and bureaucratic foot-dragging. It’s a matter, they say, of public safety.

“Fighting disasters is like fighting wars,” said Darrell Herd, a retired senior research scientist at the Defense Intelligence Agency who pioneered early orbital tests of wildfire detection. “You suffer if you don’t have adequate warning.”

The parts of the United States destroyed each year by wildfires have more than doubled over two decades. And California’s fires have recently grown rapidly in size. Deaths and diseases are linked not only to blistering flames, but also toxic smoke.

Even so, proponents of using the defence satellites note, the military has no established program that issues firefighting alerts to local, state and federal authorities. They also point out that the Pentagon’s spacecraft, when set against civilian and commercial ones, have repeatedly proven themselves to be superior at spotting blazes.

In an interview, Jeffrey Harris, a former director of the National Reconnaissance Office, which runs the country’s fleets of spy satellites, called for expanding civilian use of the attack-warning craft “as quickly as possible.” Scientists see the wildfires intensifying, he noted, “so why don’t we let firefighters take full advantage of the technology?”

California, Harris added, “is one of the largest economies in the world. And we’re not going to nip these fires in the bud?” The military craft, he stressed, “can save lives.”

In 2018, the U.S. Forest Service used the spacecraft as an experiment in California, quickly spotting four flare-ups. “I believe we are just beginning to unlock the possibilities,” Lt. Gen. John Thompson, then head of what was called the Air Force Space and Missiles Systems Center, said of the firefighting test. The Forest Service proceeded to ask that the military spinoffs go nationwide.

Satellite-sharing proponents often cite the military’s GPS as a role model. That fleet of satellites began life in 1978 as a highly classified system for transmitting precise location data to the U.S. armed forces. In the 1980s, civilians gained access. Today, commercial uses include tracking vehicles and sending position data to millions of smartphones.

In an interview, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who heads the House Intelligence Committee, said the nation needed to rethink the military’s overall role in protecting American society and decide either to shrink its budgets or expand its domestic responsibilities. The new roles, he added, should include the permanent sharing of the attack-warning satellites with the civilian authorities.

“Part of a strong America is having a strong infrastructure that protects our citizens not just from foreign attack, but natural disasters,” Schiff said. “We need to protect people from the growing intensity of these fires.”

Schiff cited a personal encounter. In 2009, a California wildfire grew into the largest in the modern history of Los Angeles County, killing two firefighters, destroying scores of homes and turning hundreds of square miles of green vegetation into blackened remains.

“I remember stepping outside my house one night,” Schiff said. “It looked like lava flowing down the canyons — like a scene out of a surreal horror film.”

The revitalized debate centres on an early generation of attack-warning satellites known as the Defense Support Program, a main participant in the fire experiments. First sent aloft in 1970, the spacecraft orbit 22,300 miles up, over the equator, in sync with Earth’s rotation. Hanging motionless relative to the ground lets them peer without interruption at the same regions.

One satellite can see roughly one-third of Earth’s surface, and three can scan the entirety of the planet. Their specialty is spotting the fiery plumes of attacking missiles. But their infrared sensors — sensitive to heat’s invisible rays — can see much more. Once, a spacecraft was able to pinpoint where an Air Force C-141 transport jet exploded over the South Atlantic.

The military has lofted 23 of the craft over the decades at an estimated cost of $15 billion. Their current numbers and orbital locations are classified secrets. By Washington standards, their operating costs are relatively low. A military contractor was recently awarded a renewal contract for $223 million over 10 years, or $22.3 million a year.

Military craft in geosynchronous orbit have an edge over civilian satellites at lower altitudes that move steadily over Earth’s surface. The spacecraft in lower orbits see particular sites infrequently, often leaving them blind to new fires, sudden flare-ups and shifting flames. The images of NASA’s firefighting program are up to 5 hours old. In contrast, the military craft scan planet Earth every 10 seconds.

In fire season, striking images from satellite companies and the space fleets of civilian agencies are often made public, but those spacecraft typically detect blazes only after they’re too large to contain.

In the mid-1980s, Herd, then at the U.S. Geological Survey, learned that the attack-warning satellites could spot wildfires. Interagency talks ensued. After the Cold War, the White House put the nation’s spy agencies and satellites onto the new job of environmental sleuthing, and the CIA funded a number of pioneering fire studies.

In 1993 and 1994, Herd organized a program of igniting test fires across the United States to see how well the military satellites did. The fuels included brush, trees and grasses. The trials showed that the spacecraft could easily spot blazes even when the flames were relatively small and easily suppressed.

In July 1996, the CIA director boasted in a public speech that his agency had recently helped the U.S. Forest Service battle a series of wildfires raging in Alaska.

Support grew in the Clinton administration and in Congress for a permanent setup. The National Reconnaissance Office took the lead. Three federal agencies that ran three kinds of satellites — for monitoring land use, adversaries and the weather — helped set up the prototype. It was known as the Hazard Support System.

The warning hub came to life in 1999 but died almost immediately because of lack of funds. In lamenting its demise, Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, called it “a small program with a huge return.” Congressional investigators blamed poor interagency management.

Nonetheless, the idea of military aid for firefighters kept gaining support. In 2000, the Aerospace Corporation, which does research for the Pentagon, released a detailed study showing that the spacecraft could easily track grassland fires set intentionally across more than a million square miles of African savanna.

In 2010, an editorial in Space News, an industry publication, called on the military to set up a national system of wildfire alerts.

Experts proceeded to ask if civilian satellites — an increasing number of which have sensors that detect not only visible light but also heat rays — might be as good or even better than the military craft.

In 2012, Medea, the CIA’s environmental arm, compared the two approaches in a global test. The target was Brazil and its gargantuan forests, which farmers often set ablaze to clear land. The military’s attack-warning satellites came out on top. Their geostationary positions gave them continuous views, whereas the civilian satellites in lower orbits came and went over hours and days, often leaving them unable to detect new blazes.

On a temporary basis, California began using the military spacecraft to spot fires in 2018. Last year, Maj. Gen. David Baldwin, adjutant general of the California National Guard, told reporters that the state was “becoming pretty good at it.”

The main problem was the limited access. Most recently, use of the military asset was set to expire Thursday, at the end of the federal government’s fiscal year. So, over the summer, the state of California mounted a lobbying campaign.

In late July, Newsom made his pitch to Biden. “It’s hard,” Newsom said of the authorization process. “Every year, we fight to get a one-year extension.” The state’s congressional delegation, led by Schiff and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., sent a follow-up letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

When the request was approved, Schiff put out a statement saying the California delegation “will continue to push to make this program permanent.”

In an interview, Linda Zall, a former CIA official who for decades led the agency’s fire and environmental studies, said it was “a travesty” that civilian officials faced so much resistance to a modest step that promised to substantially enhance public safety.

The civilian authorities could soon get better options. Startups in Australia and Germany are planning to loft fire-spotting satellites in order to serve fast-growing international markets. And Planet, a U.S. company that built a fleet of nearly 200 imaging satellites, recently joined with a startup to assess forest-fire risks.

But on the military side, things could worsen. The Department of Defense is now facing budget pressures that could end the Defense Support Program and its firefighting aid. The problem arises principally from a new defensive strategy that the Pentagon is racing to put in place.

Starting in 2011, the Defense Support Program satellites were succeeded by a new generation that cost $1.7 billion per spacecraft. Six were scheduled for launch to geosynchronous orbit. By 2015, however, such giant craft were beginning to be judged as vulnerable to enemy attack. China, in particular, was seen as speeding ahead on a wide range of antisatellite arms.

Today, in response, the Pentagon is rushing to build smaller, cheaper, more numerous craft. It sees the vast numbers as greatly reducing the risk of attacks successful enough to knock out vital U.S. capabilities. By 2026, it wants to have in orbit roughly 1,000 satellites, many for attack warning. The issue is considered so urgent that the Pentagon in 2019 set up a new arm, the Space Development Agency, to carry out the sweeping plan.

Experts warn that the shift, and its budget repercussions, may turn the ageing spacecraft of the Defense Support Program into prime targets for termination.

One proffered solution is to transfer the satellites from the Pentagon to a civilian agency, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which runs the nation’s weather satellites. Or a civilian agency could simply pick up the military’s operating costs.

Harris, the former director of the National Reconnaissance Office, offered a more ambitious plan. He said the American military had tailored systems of declassification that, if applied, would let information from all its attack-warning satellites — whether old, new or middle age — be shared quickly with firefighters.

It’s a moment, he said, to expand the military’s support.

The wildfire situation “is going to get worse before it gets better,” Harris said. As a matter of public safety commensurate with the growing threat, he added, now is the time to “move the bureaucracy, to tell it what’s important. Let’s take advantage of these very capable resources.”

In July, as wildfires tore through the American West, President Joe Biden met with the region’s governors to find better ways to battle the flames. California Governor Gavin Newsom requested use of military satellites that are designed to warn of missile attacks, calling the orbital fleet “a game changer” for spotting and fighting wildfires.

In July, as wildfires tore through the American West, President Joe Biden met with the region’s governors to find better ways to battle the flames. California Governor Gavin Newsom requested use of military satellites that are designed to warn of missile attacks, calling the orbital fleet “a game changer” for spotting and fighting wildfires. Biden promised to help. “When this meeting is over,” he said, “I’ll be on the phone with the Department of Defense.” His call wasn’t the first — or the 50th. The issue of using secret military gear to aid civilian firefighters arose 35 years ago. It grew as the White House, CIA, U.S. Forest Service and other federal agencies sought to establish a national system that warned of undetected wildfires and menacing flare-ups. The Pentagon allowed tests and a short-lived prototype. But the arrangements were never permanent. The military, eager to safeguard its prerogatives and orbital fleets, was always glad to shut the pipeline down. As a result, officials such as Newsom now have to lobby for emergency access. But record-setting fires are likely to grow worse and pose grave new dangers that warrant an urgent response, according to proponents of deeper cooperation between officials who combat wildfires and those managing the military spacecraft. The nation can no longer afford endless turf wars and bureaucratic foot-dragging. It’s a matter, they say, of public safety. “Fighting disasters is like fighting wars,” said Darrell Herd, a retired senior research scientist at the Defense Intelligence Agency who pioneered early orbital tests of wildfire detection. “You suffer if you don’t have adequate warning.” The parts of the United States destroyed each year by wildfires have more than doubled over two decades. And California’s fires have recently grown rapidly in size. Deaths and diseases are linked not only to blistering flames, but also toxic smoke. Even so, proponents of using the defence satellites note, the military has no established program that issues firefighting alerts to local, state and federal authorities. They also point out that the Pentagon’s spacecraft, when set against civilian and commercial ones, have repeatedly proven themselves to be superior at spotting blazes. In an interview, Jeffrey Harris, a former director of the National Reconnaissance Office, which runs the country’s fleets of spy satellites, called for expanding civilian use of the attack-warning craft “as quickly as possible.” Scientists see the wildfires intensifying, he noted, “so why don’t we let firefighters take full advantage of the technology?” California, Harris added, “is one of the largest economies in the world. And we’re not going to nip these fires in the bud?” The military craft, he stressed, “can save lives.” In 2018, the U.S. Forest Service used the spacecraft as an experiment in California, quickly spotting four flare-ups. “I believe we are just beginning to unlock the possibilities,” Lt. Gen. John Thompson, then head of what was called the Air Force Space and Missiles Systems Center, said of the firefighting test. The Forest Service proceeded to ask that the military spinoffs go nationwide. Satellite-sharing proponents often cite the military’s GPS as a role model. That fleet of satellites began life in 1978 as a highly classified system for transmitting precise location data to the U.S. armed forces. In the 1980s, civilians gained access. Today, commercial uses include tracking vehicles and sending position data to millions of smartphones. In an interview, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who heads the House Intelligence Committee, said the nation needed to rethink the military’s overall role in protecting American society and decide either to shrink its budgets or expand its domestic responsibilities. The new roles, he added, should include the permanent sharing of the attack-warning satellites with the civilian authorities. “Part of a strong America is having a strong infrastructure that protects our citizens not just from foreign attack, but natural disasters,” Schiff said. “We need to protect people from the growing intensity of these fires.” Schiff cited a personal encounter. In 2009, a California wildfire grew into the largest in the modern history of Los Angeles County, killing two firefighters, destroying scores of homes and turning hundreds of square miles of green vegetation into blackened remains. “I remember stepping outside my house one night,” Schiff said. “It looked like lava flowing down the canyons — like a scene out of a surreal horror film.” The revitalized debate centres on an early generation of attack-warning satellites known as the Defense Support Program, a main participant in the fire experiments. First sent aloft in 1970, the spacecraft orbit 22,300 miles up, over the equator, in sync with Earth’s rotation. Hanging motionless relative to the ground lets them peer without interruption at the same regions. One satellite can see roughly one-third of Earth’s surface, and three can scan the entirety of the planet. Their specialty is spotting the fiery plumes of attacking missiles. But their infrared sensors — sensitive to heat’s invisible rays — can see much more. Once, a spacecraft was able to pinpoint where an Air Force C-141 transport jet exploded over the South Atlantic. The military has lofted 23 of the craft over the decades at an estimated cost of $15 billion. Their current numbers and orbital locations are classified secrets. By Washington standards, their operating costs are relatively low. A military contractor was recently awarded a renewal contract for $223 million over 10 years, or $22.3 million a year. Military craft in geosynchronous orbit have an edge over civilian satellites at lower altitudes that move steadily over Earth’s surface. The spacecraft in lower orbits see particular sites infrequently, often leaving them blind to new fires, sudden flare-ups and shifting flames. The images of NASA’s firefighting program are up to 5 hours old. In contrast, the military craft scan planet Earth every 10 seconds. In fire season, striking images from satellite companies and the space fleets of civilian agencies are often made public, but those spacecraft typically detect blazes only after they’re too large to contain. In the mid-1980s, Herd, then at the U.S. Geological Survey, learned that the attack-warning satellites could spot wildfires. Interagency talks ensued. After the Cold War, the White House put the nation’s spy agencies and satellites onto the new job of environmental sleuthing, and the CIA funded a number of pioneering fire studies. In 1993 and 1994, Herd organized a program of igniting test fires across the United States to see how well the military satellites did. The fuels included brush, trees and grasses. The trials showed that the spacecraft could easily spot blazes even when the flames were relatively small and easily suppressed. In July 1996, the CIA director boasted in a public speech that his agency had recently helped the U.S. Forest Service battle a series of wildfires raging in Alaska. Support grew in the Clinton administration and in Congress for a permanent setup. The National Reconnaissance Office took the lead. Three federal agencies that ran three kinds of satellites — for monitoring land use, adversaries and the weather — helped set up the prototype. It was known as the Hazard Support System. The warning hub came to life in 1999 but died almost immediately because of lack of funds. In lamenting its demise, Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, called it “a small program with a huge return.” Congressional investigators blamed poor interagency management. Nonetheless, the idea of military aid for firefighters kept gaining support. In 2000, the Aerospace Corporation, which does research for the Pentagon, released a detailed study showing that the spacecraft could easily track grassland fires set intentionally across more than a million square miles of African savanna. In 2010, an editorial in Space News, an industry publication, called on the military to set up a national system of wildfire alerts. Experts proceeded to ask if civilian satellites — an increasing number of which have sensors that detect not only visible light but also heat rays — might be as good or even better than the military craft. In 2012, Medea, the CIA’s environmental arm, compared the two approaches in a global test. The target was Brazil and its gargantuan forests, which farmers often set ablaze to clear land. The military’s attack-warning satellites came out on top. Their geostationary positions gave them continuous views, whereas the civilian satellites in lower orbits came and went over hours and days, often leaving them unable to detect new blazes. On a temporary basis, California began using the military spacecraft to spot fires in 2018. Last year, Maj. Gen. David Baldwin, adjutant general of the California National Guard, told reporters that the state was “becoming pretty good at it.” The main problem was the limited access. Most recently, use of the military asset was set to expire Thursday, at the end of the federal government’s fiscal year. So, over the summer, the state of California mounted a lobbying campaign. In late July, Newsom made his pitch to Biden. “It’s hard,” Newsom said of the authorization process. “Every year, we fight to get a one-year extension.” The state’s congressional delegation, led by Schiff and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., sent a follow-up letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. When the request was approved, Schiff put out a statement saying the California delegation “will continue to push to make this program permanent.” In an interview, Linda Zall, a former CIA official who for decades led the agency’s fire and environmental studies, said it was “a travesty” that civilian officials faced so much resistance to a modest step that promised to substantially enhance public safety. The civilian authorities could soon get better options. Startups in Australia and Germany are planning to loft fire-spotting satellites in order to serve fast-growing international markets. And Planet, a U.S. company that built a fleet of nearly 200 imaging satellites, recently joined with a startup to assess forest-fire risks. But on the military side, things could worsen. The Department of Defense is now facing budget pressures that could end the Defense Support Program and its firefighting aid. The problem arises principally from a new defensive strategy that the Pentagon is racing to put in place. Starting in 2011, the Defense Support Program satellites were succeeded by a new generation that cost $1.7 billion per spacecraft. Six were scheduled for launch to geosynchronous orbit. By 2015, however, such giant craft were beginning to be judged as vulnerable to enemy attack. China, in particular, was seen as speeding ahead on a wide range of antisatellite arms. Today, in response, the Pentagon is rushing to build smaller, cheaper, more numerous craft. It sees the vast numbers as greatly reducing the risk of attacks successful enough to knock out vital U.S. capabilities. By 2026, it wants to have in orbit roughly 1,000 satellites, many for attack warning. The issue is considered so urgent that the Pentagon in 2019 set up a new arm, the Space Development Agency, to carry out the sweeping plan. Experts warn that the shift, and its budget repercussions, may turn the ageing spacecraft of the Defense Support Program into prime targets for termination. One proffered solution is to transfer the satellites from the Pentagon to a civilian agency, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which runs the nation’s weather satellites. Or a civilian agency could simply pick up the military’s operating costs. Harris, the former director of the National Reconnaissance Office, offered a more ambitious plan. He said the American military had tailored systems of declassification that, if applied, would let information from all its attack-warning satellites — whether old, new or middle age — be shared quickly with firefighters. It’s a moment, he said, to expand the military’s support. The wildfire situation “is going to get worse before it gets better,” Harris said. As a matter of public safety commensurate with the growing threat, he added, now is the time to “move the bureaucracy, to tell it what’s important. Let’s take advantage of these very capable resources.”

The secret war over Pentagon aid in fighting wildfires

The monstrous&nbsp;Dixie&nbsp;Fire&nbsp;in northern California has grown to become the second-largest wildfire in state history, authorities said Sunday, with three people reported missing and thousands fleeing the advancing flames.

As of Sunday, the&nbsp;fire&nbsp;had destroyed 489,287 acres (198,007 hectares), authorities said, up from the previous day's 447,723 acres. It now covers an area larger than Los Angeles.

The&nbsp;Dixie&nbsp;blaze is the largest active wildfire in the United States, but only one of 11 major wildfires in California.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/dixie-blaze-california-wildfire-becomes-second-worst-in-states-history-404173">Dixie blaze: California wildfire becomes second-worst in state's history</a>

Over the weekend, it surpassed the 2018 Mendocino Complex&nbsp;Fire&nbsp;to make it the second-worst&nbsp;fire&nbsp;in state history.

"It was like driving out of a war zone that you see in a movie," Tami Kugler told AFP, sitting beside her tent at an evacuation station after fleeing the historic town of Greenville before it burned down.

"My neighbourhood is gone -- I mean gone, gone. Everybody I care and love about that's in that neighbourhood, their homes are gone," she said, adding: "I didn't have insurance."

On Saturday, Governor Gavin Newsom visited the charred remains of Greenville, expressing his "deep gratitude" to the teams fighting the flames.

He said authorities had to devote more resources to managing forests and preventing fires.

But he added that "the dries are getting a lot drier, it is hotter than it has ever been... we need to acknowledge just straight up these are climate-induced wildfires."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dixie-fire-becomes-third-largest-in-california-history-403598">Dixie fire becomes third-largest in California history</a>

Climate change amplifies droughts, creating ideal conditions for wildfires to spread out of control and inflict unprecedented material and environmental damage.

The&nbsp;Dixie&nbsp;blaze, which on Saturday left three firefighters injured, remained 21 per cent contained Sunday, unchanged from the day before, the CalFire website reported.

Crews estimate the&nbsp;fire, which began July 13, will not be fully extinguished for two weeks.

Higher temperatures forecast&nbsp;

Weak winds and higher humidity have provided some succour to firefighters, but they are bracing for higher temperatures expected to exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) in the coming days.

Heavy smoke was making driving hazardous for&nbsp;fire&nbsp;crews in some areas, and steep trails also made access difficult.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/dixie-wildfire-largest-single-blaze-in-california-history-404174/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The state's eight largest wildfires have all come since December 2017. The still-blackened scars of previous fires have aided&nbsp;Dixie&nbsp;Fire&nbsp;crews at times, reducing available fuel.

Thousands of residents have fled the area, many forced to find temporary housing -- even living in tents, and often unsure whether their homes have survived.

At an evacuation site under smoky skies in Susanville, exhausted families sat in folding chairs beside tents and vehicles packed with belongings grabbed from their abandoned homes.

The Plumas County sheriff's office said it was still searching for three people listed as missing after two others were found over the weekend.

The&nbsp;Dixie&nbsp;Fire&nbsp;has already destroyed about 400 structures -- gutting Greenville -- and CalFire said workers and equipment were being deployed to save homes in the small town of Crescent Mills, three miles (five kilometres) southeast of Greenville.

More than 5,000 personnel are now battling the&nbsp;Dixie&nbsp;blaze.

Despite repeated evacuation orders from the authorities, some residents have refused to flee, preferring to try to fight the&nbsp;fire&nbsp;on their own rather than leave their property.

By late July, the number of acres burned in California was up more than 250 per cent from 2020, itself the worst year of wildfires in the state's modern history.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-report-warns-more-vicious-floods-heatwaves-worsening-droughts-and-rise-in-sea-levels-404186">UN report warns more vicious floods, heatwaves, worsening droughts and rise in sea levels</a>

A long-term drought that scientists say is driven by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/climate-change">climate change</a> has left much of the western United States and Canada parched, and vulnerable to explosive and highly destructive fires.

A preliminary investigation has suggested the&nbsp;Dixie&nbsp;Fire&nbsp;was started when a tree fell on a power cable owned by regional utility Pacific Gas &amp; Company (PG&amp;E), a private operator that was earlier blamed for the Camp&nbsp;Fire&nbsp;in 2018, which killed 86 people.

The monstrous Dixie Fire in northern California has grown to become the second-largest wildfire in state history, authorities said Sunday, with three people reported missing and thousands fleeing the advancing flames.

The monstrous Dixie Fire in northern California has grown to become the second-largest wildfire in state history, authorities said Sunday, with three people reported missing and thousands fleeing the advancing flames. As of Sunday, the fire had destroyed 489,287 acres (198,007 hectares), authorities said, up from the previous day's 447,723 acres. It now covers an area larger than Los Angeles. The Dixie blaze is the largest active wildfire in the United States, but only one of 11 major wildfires in California. Also read | Dixie blaze: California wildfire becomes second-worst in state's history Over the weekend, it surpassed the 2018 Mendocino Complex Fire to make it the second-worst fire in state history. "It was like driving out of a war zone that you see in a movie," Tami Kugler told AFP, sitting beside her tent at an evacuation station after fleeing the historic town of Greenville before it burned down. "My neighbourhood is gone -- I mean gone, gone. Everybody I care and love about that's in that neighbourhood, their homes are gone," she said, adding: "I didn't have insurance." On Saturday, Governor Gavin Newsom visited the charred remains of Greenville, expressing his "deep gratitude" to the teams fighting the flames. He said authorities had to devote more resources to managing forests and preventing fires. But he added that "the dries are getting a lot drier, it is hotter than it has ever been... we need to acknowledge just straight up these are climate-induced wildfires." Also read | Dixie fire becomes third-largest in California history Climate change amplifies droughts, creating ideal conditions for wildfires to spread out of control and inflict unprecedented material and environmental damage. The Dixie blaze, which on Saturday left three firefighters injured, remained 21 per cent contained Sunday, unchanged from the day before, the CalFire website reported. Crews estimate the fire, which began July 13, will not be fully extinguished for two weeks. Higher temperatures forecast Weak winds and higher humidity have provided some succour to firefighters, but they are bracing for higher temperatures expected to exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) in the coming days. Heavy smoke was making driving hazardous for fire crews in some areas, and steep trails also made access difficult. The state's eight largest wildfires have all come since December 2017. The still-blackened scars of previous fires have aided Dixie Fire crews at times, reducing available fuel. Thousands of residents have fled the area, many forced to find temporary housing -- even living in tents, and often unsure whether their homes have survived. At an evacuation site under smoky skies in Susanville, exhausted families sat in folding chairs beside tents and vehicles packed with belongings grabbed from their abandoned homes. The Plumas County sheriff's office said it was still searching for three people listed as missing after two others were found over the weekend. The Dixie Fire has already destroyed about 400 structures -- gutting Greenville -- and CalFire said workers and equipment were being deployed to save homes in the small town of Crescent Mills, three miles (five kilometres) southeast of Greenville. More than 5,000 personnel are now battling the Dixie blaze. Despite repeated evacuation orders from the authorities, some residents have refused to flee, preferring to try to fight the fire on their own rather than leave their property. By late July, the number of acres burned in California was up more than 250 per cent from 2020, itself the worst year of wildfires in the state's modern history. Also read | UN report warns more vicious floods, heatwaves, worsening droughts and rise in sea levels A long-term drought that scientists say is driven by climate change has left much of the western United States and Canada parched, and vulnerable to explosive and highly destructive fires. A preliminary investigation has suggested the Dixie Fire was started when a tree fell on a power cable owned by regional utility Pacific Gas & Company (PG&E), a private operator that was earlier blamed for the Camp Fire in 2018, which killed 86 people.

California Dixie wildfire now second-worst in state history

Watch: WION Gravitas, 12th November, 2018

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The death toll in a raging California wildfire has reached 29, matching the deadliest in the state's history as firefighters battling blazes at both ends of the state on Monday braced for strong winds.

The "Camp Fire" -- in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains north of Sacramento -- is the largest and most destructive of several infernos that have broken out.

The flames have sent 250,000 people fleeing their homes across the tinder-dry state and razed 6,400 homes in the town of Paradise, effectively wiping it off the map.

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea announced the new death toll at a news conference Sunday, adding that all were found in Paradise area.

At least 31 people have died in fire zones in north and south California, where acrid smoke blanketed the sky for miles, the sun barely visible.&nbsp;

On the ground, cars caught in the flames were reduced to scorched metal skeletons, while homes were left as smoldering piles of debris, with an occasional brick wall or chimney remaining.

Some 200 people remained unaccounted for in the Paradise area alone, officials said. Several fire-affected areas were left without cell phone service.

The fire matched the 1933 Griffith Park disaster in Los Angeles -- until now the single deadliest wildfire on record, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

At the southern end of the state, the "Woolsey Fire" has destroyed mansions and mobile homes in the coastal celebrity redoubt of Malibu, where the death toll has been limited to two victims found in a vehicle on a private driveway.

The National Weather Service has issued a "Red Flag" alert for fire-affected Los Angeles and Ventura County.

The service warned of "EXTREMELY CRITICAL Fire Weather Conditions through Tuesday."

It said winds of up to 50 miles (80 kilometers) per hour were expected in the coastal region, and up to 60 mph (96 kph) in mountainous areas.

'The new abnormal'&nbsp;

The "Camp Fire" has scorched&nbsp;111,000 acres (45,000 hectares) and is 25 percent contained, Cal Fire said. So far, three of the more than 4,000 firefighters deployed have been injured.

Evacuation orders have been issued to more than a quarter of a million people across California.

While some Malibu-area residents were allowed to return home late Sunday, the entire city of Calabasas -- just northeast of Malibu -- came under evacuation orders.

"This is not the new normal, this is the new abnormal. And this new abnormal will continue, certainly in the next 10 to 15 to 20 years," California Governor Jerry Brown said Sunday.

"Unfortunately, the best science is telling us that the dryness, warmth, drought, all those things, they're going to intensify."

&nbsp;'Dangerously wrong'&nbsp;

President Donald Trump drew fierce criticism for an unsympathetic reaction to the devastation.

"There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor," Trump tweeted, threatening to withdraw federal support.

Brian Rice, the head of the California Professional Firefighters, slammed the tweet as "ill-informed, ill-timed and demeaning to those who are suffering as well as the men and women on the front lines."

He said the president's claim that forest policies were mismanaged "is dangerously wrong."

Celebrity aid for pets&nbsp;

The "Woolsey Fire" engulfed parts of Thousand Oaks, where the community is still shell-shocked after a Marine Corps veteran shot dead 12 people in a country music bar on Wednesday.

The blaze has consumed around 85,500 acres, destroyed at least 177 buildings and was 15 percent contained, Cal Fire said.

Singer Miley Cyrus's home was one of the buildings destroyed in southern California.&nbsp;

"Completely devestated (sic) by the fires affecting my community. I am one of the lucky ones. My animals and LOVE OF MY LIFE made it out safely &amp; that's all that matters right now," she tweeted.&nbsp;

"My house no longer stands but the memories shared with family &amp; friends stand strong."

Many of the southern California area's residents own horses, and for the past days Twitter has been filled with messages of people seeking and offering help.

Actor James Woods, a rare political conservative in liberal Hollywood, has made new friends by using his Twitter account to help find missing people and getting help for pets, including horses.

"Please think about fostering #pets while evacuees are dealing with the crisis. Los Angeles #animal shelters are mostly filled, so follow my hashtags, and see if someone in need is someone you can help!" read one of his tweets.

The Ventura County Humane Society said it was "deeply humbled by a $100,000 donation from (actress) Sandra Bullock and family" to rescue and care for animals evacuated from the fires.

The death toll in a raging California wildfire has reached 29, matching the deadliest in the state's history as firefighters battling blazes at both ends of the state on Monday braced for strong winds.

The death toll in a raging California wildfire has reached 29, matching the deadliest in the state's history as firefighters battling blazes at both ends of the state on Monday braced for strong winds. The "Camp Fire" -- in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains north of Sacramento -- is the largest and most destructive of several infernos that have broken out. The flames have sent 250,000 people fleeing their homes across the tinder-dry state and razed 6,400 homes in the town of Paradise, effectively wiping it off the map. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea announced the new death toll at a news conference Sunday, adding that all were found in Paradise area. At least 31 people have died in fire zones in north and south California, where acrid smoke blanketed the sky for miles, the sun barely visible. On the ground, cars caught in the flames were reduced to scorched metal skeletons, while homes were left as smoldering piles of debris, with an occasional brick wall or chimney remaining. Some 200 people remained unaccounted for in the Paradise area alone, officials said. Several fire-affected areas were left without cell phone service. The fire matched the 1933 Griffith Park disaster in Los Angeles -- until now the single deadliest wildfire on record, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). At the southern end of the state, the "Woolsey Fire" has destroyed mansions and mobile homes in the coastal celebrity redoubt of Malibu, where the death toll has been limited to two victims found in a vehicle on a private driveway. The National Weather Service has issued a "Red Flag" alert for fire-affected Los Angeles and Ventura County. The service warned of "EXTREMELY CRITICAL Fire Weather Conditions through Tuesday." It said winds of up to 50 miles (80 kilometers) per hour were expected in the coastal region, and up to 60 mph (96 kph) in mountainous areas. 'The new abnormal' The "Camp Fire" has scorched 111,000 acres (45,000 hectares) and is 25 percent contained, Cal Fire said. So far, three of the more than 4,000 firefighters deployed have been injured. Evacuation orders have been issued to more than a quarter of a million people across California. While some Malibu-area residents were allowed to return home late Sunday, the entire city of Calabasas -- just northeast of Malibu -- came under evacuation orders. "This is not the new normal, this is the new abnormal. And this new abnormal will continue, certainly in the next 10 to 15 to 20 years," California Governor Jerry Brown said Sunday. "Unfortunately, the best science is telling us that the dryness, warmth, drought, all those things, they're going to intensify." 'Dangerously wrong' President Donald Trump drew fierce criticism for an unsympathetic reaction to the devastation. "There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor," Trump tweeted, threatening to withdraw federal support. Brian Rice, the head of the California Professional Firefighters, slammed the tweet as "ill-informed, ill-timed and demeaning to those who are suffering as well as the men and women on the front lines." He said the president's claim that forest policies were mismanaged "is dangerously wrong." Celebrity aid for pets The "Woolsey Fire" engulfed parts of Thousand Oaks, where the community is still shell-shocked after a Marine Corps veteran shot dead 12 people in a country music bar on Wednesday. The blaze has consumed around 85,500 acres, destroyed at least 177 buildings and was 15 percent contained, Cal Fire said. Singer Miley Cyrus's home was one of the buildings destroyed in southern California. "Completely devestated (sic) by the fires affecting my community. I am one of the lucky ones. My animals and LOVE OF MY LIFE made it out safely & that's all that matters right now," she tweeted. "My house no longer stands but the memories shared with family & friends stand strong." Many of the southern California area's residents own horses, and for the past days Twitter has been filled with messages of people seeking and offering help. Actor James Woods, a rare political conservative in liberal Hollywood, has made new friends by using his Twitter account to help find missing people and getting help for pets, including horses. "Please think about fostering #pets while evacuees are dealing with the crisis. Los Angeles #animal shelters are mostly filled, so follow my hashtags, and see if someone in need is someone you can help!" read one of his tweets. The Ventura County Humane Society said it was "deeply humbled by a $100,000 donation from (actress) Sandra Bullock and family" to rescue and care for animals evacuated from the fires.

California wildfire toll matches deadliest ever with 29 victims

California wildfire: At least 31 killed; firefighters struggle to contain wildfire

Wildfires raged Sunday across much of California forcing hundreds to evacuate homes as the most populous US state sweltered in record heat. &nbsp;

About 5,000 fire crew members were battling 14 large wildfires around the state, according to Cal Fire. Among the largest was the Alamo fire in San Luis Obispo county, about midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Fire there has burned 23,867 acres (96.59 square kilometers) and was just 10 per cent contained, officials said.

Meanwhile, the Wall Fire in Butte county in the north-central part of the state saw 4,400 acres (17.8 square kilometers) consumed by flames.&nbsp;

The fire there is just 17 per cent contained and evacuations are in effect, Cal Fire said.

That blaze destroyed 10 structures and threatened hundreds more, according to Cal Fire. Four injuries have been reported.

The Whittier fire in Santa Barbara county in southern California was affecting 7,800 acres (31.56 square kilometers) and was just five per cent controlled.&nbsp;

Most of southern California including metropolitan Los Angeles has been in the grips of a blistering heat wave, with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees (37 degrees Celsius).&nbsp;

California Governor Jerry Brown in April declared the official end of the state&#39;s drought that lasted more than five years.

But he kept in place water reporting requirements, as well as bans on practices like watering during or following rainfall and hosing off sidewalks.

Most of southern California including metropolitan Los Angeles has been in the grips of a blistering heat wave, with temperatures exceeding 100 degree

Wildfires raged Sunday across much of California forcing hundreds to evacuate homes as the most populous US state sweltered in record heat. About 5,000 fire crew members were battling 14 large wildfires around the state, according to Cal Fire. Among the largest was the Alamo fire in San Luis Obispo county, about midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Fire there has burned 23,867 acres (96.59 square kilometers) and was just 10 per cent contained, officials said. Meanwhile, the Wall Fire in Butte county in the north-central part of the state saw 4,400 acres (17.8 square kilometers) consumed by flames. The fire there is just 17 per cent contained and evacuations are in effect, Cal Fire said. That blaze destroyed 10 structures and threatened hundreds more, according to Cal Fire. Four injuries have been reported. The Whittier fire in Santa Barbara county in southern California was affecting 7,800 acres (31.56 square kilometers) and was just five per cent controlled. Most of southern California including metropolitan Los Angeles has been in the grips of a blistering heat wave, with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees (37 degrees Celsius). California Governor Jerry Brown in April declared the official end of the state's drought that lasted more than five years. But he kept in place water reporting requirements, as well as bans on practices like watering during or following rainfall and hosing off sidewalks.

Forest fires rage in California amid sweltering heat

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