A deadly <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tens-of-thousands-evacuated-as-california-wildfires-rage-255379">wind-driven wildfire</a> that raged across the northern edge of Los Angeles last week started near the base of high-voltage transmission tower owned by electric utility Southern California Edison, company and fire officials said on Monday.

The company, a unit of Edison International, said through a spokeswoman that it had notified the California Public Utility Commission on October&nbsp;11, the day after the fire started, that "our system was impacted near the reported time of the fire."

The "electric safety incident" report, a copy of which the utility provided to Reuters, identified the facility involved as a company-owned transmission tower near a traffic intersection in the foothills where the Saddleridge fire is thought to have erupted.

Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Captain Erik Scott said Monday that the cause of the fire was uncertain. But he said investigators had traced the fire's origin to a slope beneath the high-voltage tower near Saddle Ridge Road.

The Southern California Edison report does not state whether the tower is suspected of sparking the blaze, or whether the tower or the power lines were damaged by high winds that quickly spread the flames over thousands of acres. But the Edison spokeswoman, Susan Cox, confirmed that the tower in question belonged to the utility.

Edison had <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unacceptable-power-cuts-blasted-as-california-fire-risk-spreads-south-255202">turned off power</a> to some customers across the region as a precaution last week after extreme winds and dry weather raised the risk of wildfire. But a utility spokeswoman was quoted as telling the Los Angeles Times on Sunday that Edison "did not de-energize any power for the Saddleridge fire area."

In Northern California, utility Pacific Gas and Electric Co (PG&amp;E) faced increasing criticism from the governor and state regulators on Monday for its own wide-scale precautionary power shutdown, which preceded Edison's by about a day but was seen as being poorly managed and communicated.

The Public Utility Commission on Monday ordered PG&amp;E to undertake immediate "corrective actions," and Newsom called for the company to provide credits or rebates to affected customers.

PG&amp;E Corp CEO Bill Johnson defended his company's actions, conceding "areas where we fell short" during the power cutoff but insisting PG&amp;E made "the right decision." He also noted that there were "no catastrophic wildfires" in the utility's service area last week.

The Saddleridge fire was the latest in a string of severe California wildfires for which electrical utility equipment has been scrutinized as a possible flashpoint.

The blaze scorched nearly 8,000 acres, threatening more than 17,000 homes and triggered the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/firefighters-battle-southern-california-wildfires-100000-evacuated-255548">evacuation of 100,000 </a>people before a change in the weather helped firefighters subdue the conflagration over the weekend.

At last count, 75 homes or other structures were damaged or destroyed, and a man suffered a fatal heart attack while trying to defend his property from the flames.

Edison's power lines were determined to have been the ignition source for a much larger fire in December 2017 that killed two people and destroyed more than 1,000 structures in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, northwest of Los Angeles.

PG&amp;E equipment was found to have sparked a flurry of wildfires that swept through wine country north of San Francisco Bay in 2017, as well as last year's devastating Camp Fire, which killed 85 people in and around the Northern California town of Paradise.

PG&amp;E, the state's largest investor-owned utility, filed for bankruptcy in January, citing more than $30 billion in potential liabilities from the fires.

A deadly wind-driven wildfire that raged across the northern edge of Los Angeles last week started near the base of high-voltage transmission tower owned by electric utility Southern California Edison, company and fire officials said on Monday.

A deadly wind-driven wildfire that raged across the northern edge of Los Angeles last week started near the base of high-voltage transmission tower owned by electric utility Southern California Edison, company and fire officials said on Monday. The company, a unit of Edison International, said through a spokeswoman that it had notified the California Public Utility Commission on October 11, the day after the fire started, that "our system was impacted near the reported time of the fire." The "electric safety incident" report, a copy of which the utility provided to Reuters, identified the facility involved as a company-owned transmission tower near a traffic intersection in the foothills where the Saddleridge fire is thought to have erupted. Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Captain Erik Scott said Monday that the cause of the fire was uncertain. But he said investigators had traced the fire's origin to a slope beneath the high-voltage tower near Saddle Ridge Road. The Southern California Edison report does not state whether the tower is suspected of sparking the blaze, or whether the tower or the power lines were damaged by high winds that quickly spread the flames over thousands of acres. But the Edison spokeswoman, Susan Cox, confirmed that the tower in question belonged to the utility. Edison had turned off power to some customers across the region as a precaution last week after extreme winds and dry weather raised the risk of wildfire. But a utility spokeswoman was quoted as telling the Los Angeles Times on Sunday that Edison "did not de-energize any power for the Saddleridge fire area." In Northern California, utility Pacific Gas and Electric Co (PG&E) faced increasing criticism from the governor and state regulators on Monday for its own wide-scale precautionary power shutdown, which preceded Edison's by about a day but was seen as being poorly managed and communicated. The Public Utility Commission on Monday ordered PG&E to undertake immediate "corrective actions," and Newsom called for the company to provide credits or rebates to affected customers. PG&E Corp CEO Bill Johnson defended his company's actions, conceding "areas where we fell short" during the power cutoff but insisting PG&E made "the right decision." He also noted that there were "no catastrophic wildfires" in the utility's service area last week. The Saddleridge fire was the latest in a string of severe California wildfires for which electrical utility equipment has been scrutinized as a possible flashpoint. The blaze scorched nearly 8,000 acres, threatening more than 17,000 homes and triggered the evacuation of 100,000 people before a change in the weather helped firefighters subdue the conflagration over the weekend. At last count, 75 homes or other structures were damaged or destroyed, and a man suffered a fatal heart attack while trying to defend his property from the flames. Edison's power lines were determined to have been the ignition source for a much larger fire in December 2017 that killed two people and destroyed more than 1,000 structures in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, northwest of Los Angeles. PG&E equipment was found to have sparked a flurry of wildfires that swept through wine country north of San Francisco Bay in 2017, as well as last year's devastating Camp Fire, which killed 85 people in and around the Northern California town of Paradise. PG&E, the state's largest investor-owned utility, filed for bankruptcy in January, citing more than $30 billion in potential liabilities from the fires.

Deadly Los Angeles wildfire began near base of electrical tower: Officials

Firefighters battled to contain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unacceptable-power-cuts-blasted-as-california-fire-risk-spreads-south-255202">wildfires in southern California</a> on Saturday after about <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tens-of-thousands-evacuated-as-california-wildfires-rage-255379">100,000 people were forced to evacuate</a> their homes.

The area was under a red flag warning of critical fire danger -- strong winds and very low humidity, the National Weather Service said.

The so-called Saddleridge fire that burned through the San Fernando Valley area of greater Los Angeles was the strongest of several across southern California.

By Saturday, it had consumed 7,551 acres&nbsp;about 32 kilometres&nbsp;north of downtown Los Angeles, fire officials said, adding that the blaze was about 19 per cent contained.

Some residents were allowed to return to their homes on Saturday as a forecast of cooler temperatures and lighter winds improved the outlook.

"We are prepared for any flare-ups as they occur," Los Angeles Fire captain Branden Silverman told local media on Saturday.

One man in his 50s died of a heart attack as he struggled to save his home, fire officials said.

Part of Los Angeles County was blanketed with smoke from the fire, prompting an advisory from air quality officials about unhealthy conditions.

The fire broke out Thursday night and quickly grew out of control for unknown reasons in the city of Sylmar, driven by low humidity and gusts known as the Santa Ana winds.

About 1,000 firefighters, backed by water-dropping helicopters and planes releasing fire retardants, had fought the blaze that forced the shutdown of several major highways.

The metro line in the area was also closed as were schools and businesses.

Some 200 firefighters battled several other blazes in Riverside County, east of Los Angeles, including one that tore through a trailer park and was started by burning trash.

That blaze destroyed 76 homes and buildings and killed an 89-year-old woman who was unable to escape the flames.

Authorities ordered the evacuation of several hundred homes in the area.

The wildfires in the south of the state erupted as California's largest utility, Pacific Gas &amp; Electric (PG&amp;E), implemented rolling power blackouts that affected some two million people in northern California.

The shutoffs were designed to reduce the threat of wildfire that can be sparked by lines downed in heavy winds.

Last November, PG&amp;E's faulty power lines were determined to have sparked the deadliest wildfire in the state's modern history, which killed 86 and destroyed the town of Paradise.

Firefighters battled to contain wildfires in southern California on Saturday after about 100,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes. The area was under a red flag warning of critical fire danger -- strong winds and very low humidity, the National Weather Service said.

Firefighters battled to contain wildfires in southern California on Saturday after about 100,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes. The area was under a red flag warning of critical fire danger -- strong winds and very low humidity, the National Weather Service said. The so-called Saddleridge fire that burned through the San Fernando Valley area of greater Los Angeles was the strongest of several across southern California. By Saturday, it had consumed 7,551 acres about 32 kilometres north of downtown Los Angeles, fire officials said, adding that the blaze was about 19 per cent contained. Some residents were allowed to return to their homes on Saturday as a forecast of cooler temperatures and lighter winds improved the outlook. "We are prepared for any flare-ups as they occur," Los Angeles Fire captain Branden Silverman told local media on Saturday. One man in his 50s died of a heart attack as he struggled to save his home, fire officials said. Part of Los Angeles County was blanketed with smoke from the fire, prompting an advisory from air quality officials about unhealthy conditions. The fire broke out Thursday night and quickly grew out of control for unknown reasons in the city of Sylmar, driven by low humidity and gusts known as the Santa Ana winds. About 1,000 firefighters, backed by water-dropping helicopters and planes releasing fire retardants, had fought the blaze that forced the shutdown of several major highways. The metro line in the area was also closed as were schools and businesses. Some 200 firefighters battled several other blazes in Riverside County, east of Los Angeles, including one that tore through a trailer park and was started by burning trash. That blaze destroyed 76 homes and buildings and killed an 89-year-old woman who was unable to escape the flames. Authorities ordered the evacuation of several hundred homes in the area. The wildfires in the south of the state erupted as California's largest utility, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), implemented rolling power blackouts that affected some two million people in northern California. The shutoffs were designed to reduce the threat of wildfire that can be sparked by lines downed in heavy winds. Last November, PG&E's faulty power lines were determined to have sparked the deadliest wildfire in the state's modern history, which killed 86 and destroyed the town of Paradise.

Firefighters battle southern California wildfires; 100,000 evacuated

The death toll in northern California's "Camp Fire" rose to 87, officials said late Saturday, adding that the blaze was almost fully under control.

The number of people still missing after a northern California wildfire obliterated the mountain town of Paradise, dropped to 249 on Sunday, the Butte County Sheriff's Office said.

Cal Fire, the state fire authority, said in its latest bulletin that the fire - which broke out on November 8 - was 98 per cent contained.

As of 19th November, the fire has torched more than 151,000 acres (61,107 hectares) of drought-parched scrub and trees, incinerating some 12,000 homes along the way, Cal fire said.

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea has warned that remains of some victims may never be found.

The town of Paradise was a popular destination for retirees, with people aged 65 or older accounting for a quarter of its 27,000 residents. Most of the victims of the fire identified so far were of retirement age.

Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire.&nbsp;

Thousands of people forced to flee Paradise spent Thanksgiving in warehouses in the nearby city of Chico, or with friends or relatives in nearby towns.&nbsp;

The death toll in northern California's "Camp Fire" rose to 87, officials said late Saturday, adding that the blaze was almost fully under control. The number of people still missing after a northern California wildfire obliterated the mountain town of Paradise, dropped to 249 on Sunday, the Butte County Sheriff's Office said.

The death toll in northern California's "Camp Fire" rose to 87, officials said late Saturday, adding that the blaze was almost fully under control. The number of people still missing after a northern California wildfire obliterated the mountain town of Paradise, dropped to 249 on Sunday, the Butte County Sheriff's Office said. Cal Fire, the state fire authority, said in its latest bulletin that the fire - which broke out on November 8 - was 98 per cent contained. As of 19th November, the fire has torched more than 151,000 acres (61,107 hectares) of drought-parched scrub and trees, incinerating some 12,000 homes along the way, Cal fire said. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea has warned that remains of some victims may never be found. The town of Paradise was a popular destination for retirees, with people aged 65 or older accounting for a quarter of its 27,000 residents. Most of the victims of the fire identified so far were of retirement age. Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire. Thousands of people forced to flee Paradise spent Thanksgiving in warehouses in the nearby city of Chico, or with friends or relatives in nearby towns.

California wildfires: Death toll rises to 87 with 249 still missing

Paradise Town reopens as locals grieving over burnt down homes

By Faith Kearns and Max Moritz

It doesn’t take long in California to develop a feel for “fire weather.” When it’s hot and dry and the winds blow a certain way, there can be no doubt that, as in the past, landscapes will continue to be forged in fire.

And so, we residents of the state find ourselves again facing late fall wildfires that have scorched drought-parched vegetation while the rainy season evades its highly anticipated start. As the death toll and structure loss from fires burning in the northern and southern parts of the state continue to surpass records set not even a year ago, it is crucial to understand the role winds play in California fires.

Predictable but future unclear

Across California, late fall winds – called by various names including Santa Anas, Diablos and sundowners – blow hot, dry air from the interior of the state out toward the coasts. The winds often intensify as they are channelled through mountain passes and then blasted across dry vegetation and steep surfaces to create the perfect conditions for fire. Given an ignition, those same winds then help to spread fire very quickly.

While these winds are in many ways predictable, they are also altering fire hazard in ways that researchers don’t fully understand. As the climate changes, bringing warmer temperatures and increasingly erratic precipitation patterns, more of these extreme wind events may occur during times that are highly conducive to fire.

It is also conceivable that climate change will cause shifts in the pressure patterns that spawn extreme wind events, to begin with. Therefore, it is possible that in the future we may see extreme winds in new regions or during unexpected times of the year. A deeper understanding of the controls on these events is emerging, but relatively little is known about what the future will hold.

Wind and fire risk

Fire hazard is determined by a variety of factors that include vegetation, topography and weather. Add people and homes, and you get fire risk. While wind is one of the biggest factors in fire spread, it also generates flying embers far ahead of the fire itself.

It is this storm of burning embers that often shower neighbourhoods and ignite homes after finding vulnerable parts of landscaping and structures. Under the worst circumstances, wind-driven home-to-home fire spread then occurs, causing risky, fast-moving “urban conflagrations” that can be almost impossible to stop and extremely dangerous to evacuate.

Managing the type and amount of vegetation, or “fuel,” in an area provides a set of tools for altering fire behaviour in wildland fires. But during wind-driven urban conflagrations, homes are usually a major – if not the main – source of fuel.

Although defensible space immediately around homes is certainly important, vegetation management cannot be the sole solution. Fire-prone communities must also intensify urban and evacuation planning efforts that make the built environment and those living there less vulnerable to fires and the extreme winds that drive them.

Looking ahead 
 
The most recent fires in California are sounding alarm bells that simply cannot be ignored, lest we fall into the trap of normalising the incredible loss of lives and devastated communities year after year. Indeed, fire has become a critical public health and safety issue in this state.

As residents and researchers who have worked extensively on fire in California, we believe the state and its newly elected leadership face a formidable challenge and an opportunity to reinvest in a robust, interdisciplinary approach to wildfire risk reduction that combines the best of both research and practice. It must integrate both new (and potentially controversial) urban planning reforms as well as novel thinking about evacuation alternatives.

As it stands, California is failing to keep up with what we know about fire hazard and risk, and losing time as we struggle against rapidly changing climate conditions. Simply put: There is no time to waste. 
 
(Faith Kearns is Academic Coordinator, California Institute for Water Resources, University of California; Max Moritz is&nbsp;Cooperative Extension Wildfire Specialist at the University of California Forest Research and Outreach)

(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-fierce-fall-and-winter-winds-help-fuel-california-fires-106985">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

By Faith Kearns and Max Moritz It doesn’t take long in California to develop a feel for “fire weather.” When it’s hot and dry and the winds blow a certain way, there can be no doubt that, as in the past, landscapes will continue to be forged in fire.

By Faith Kearns and Max Moritz It doesn’t take long in California to develop a feel for “fire weather.” When it’s hot and dry and the winds blow a certain way, there can be no doubt that, as in the past, landscapes will continue to be forged in fire. And so, we residents of the state find ourselves again facing late fall wildfires that have scorched drought-parched vegetation while the rainy season evades its highly anticipated start. As the death toll and structure loss from fires burning in the northern and southern parts of the state continue to surpass records set not even a year ago, it is crucial to understand the role winds play in California fires. Predictable but future unclear Across California, late fall winds – called by various names including Santa Anas, Diablos and sundowners – blow hot, dry air from the interior of the state out toward the coasts. The winds often intensify as they are channelled through mountain passes and then blasted across dry vegetation and steep surfaces to create the perfect conditions for fire. Given an ignition, those same winds then help to spread fire very quickly. While these winds are in many ways predictable, they are also altering fire hazard in ways that researchers don’t fully understand. As the climate changes, bringing warmer temperatures and increasingly erratic precipitation patterns, more of these extreme wind events may occur during times that are highly conducive to fire. It is also conceivable that climate change will cause shifts in the pressure patterns that spawn extreme wind events, to begin with. Therefore, it is possible that in the future we may see extreme winds in new regions or during unexpected times of the year. A deeper understanding of the controls on these events is emerging, but relatively little is known about what the future will hold. Wind and fire risk Fire hazard is determined by a variety of factors that include vegetation, topography and weather. Add people and homes, and you get fire risk. While wind is one of the biggest factors in fire spread, it also generates flying embers far ahead of the fire itself. It is this storm of burning embers that often shower neighbourhoods and ignite homes after finding vulnerable parts of landscaping and structures. Under the worst circumstances, wind-driven home-to-home fire spread then occurs, causing risky, fast-moving “urban conflagrations” that can be almost impossible to stop and extremely dangerous to evacuate. Managing the type and amount of vegetation, or “fuel,” in an area provides a set of tools for altering fire behaviour in wildland fires. But during wind-driven urban conflagrations, homes are usually a major – if not the main – source of fuel. Although defensible space immediately around homes is certainly important, vegetation management cannot be the sole solution. Fire-prone communities must also intensify urban and evacuation planning efforts that make the built environment and those living there less vulnerable to fires and the extreme winds that drive them. Looking ahead The most recent fires in California are sounding alarm bells that simply cannot be ignored, lest we fall into the trap of normalising the incredible loss of lives and devastated communities year after year. Indeed, fire has become a critical public health and safety issue in this state. As residents and researchers who have worked extensively on fire in California, we believe the state and its newly elected leadership face a formidable challenge and an opportunity to reinvest in a robust, interdisciplinary approach to wildfire risk reduction that combines the best of both research and practice. It must integrate both new (and potentially controversial) urban planning reforms as well as novel thinking about evacuation alternatives. As it stands, California is failing to keep up with what we know about fire hazard and risk, and losing time as we struggle against rapidly changing climate conditions. Simply put: There is no time to waste. (Faith Kearns is Academic Coordinator, California Institute for Water Resources, University of California; Max Moritz is Cooperative Extension Wildfire Specialist at the University of California Forest Research and Outreach) (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

How fierce fall and winter winds help fuel California fires

Ukraine on Monday (Jan 8) came under a fresh wave of Russian missile attacks that struck near the front lines of fighting in the east, western as well as central parts of the country, said the officials.

The strikes claimed the lives of at least three and wounded dozens of others.

The latest barrage of hypersonic projectiles fired by Moscow comes less than a week after Kyiv cautioned that it only had sufficient ammunition to withstand a few more powerful attacks amid Russia's intense bombardment.

"The enemy launched dozens of missiles at peaceful cities and villages of Ukraine," Ukraine's deputy head of the presidency Oleksiy Kuleba said, adding that 33 were injured.

Some of the Ukrainian targets hit by the Russian projectiles were high-rise buildings and a shopping centre in President Volodymyr Zelensky's hometown Kryvyi Rig, claiming the life of at least one, said Kuleba.

"In Kryvyi Rig, there are many breakages in power grids, there are power outages, and electric transport does not work," he said.

Separate "explosions" in the western region of Khmelnytsky, far from the frontlines in the east, he said, killed one person.

Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelensky-personally-ordered-belgorod-attack-claims-russian-state-media-675579"> </a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelensky-personally-ordered-belgorod-attack-claims-russian-state-media-675579">Zelensky personally ordered Belgorod attack, claims Russian state media</a>

<h2>Around 300 evacuated from Belgorod over Ukraine strikes, says Russia</h2>

Russia said that it has evacuated nearly 300 residents of Belgorod over strikes by Ukraine.

The governor of the Belgorod region, which is a city near the Ukrainian border, on Monday, released a statement saying that the ones evacuated have been moved to temporary shelter centres.

"Some 300 residents of Belgorod, who decided to temporarily evacuate, are at the moment being housed in temporary shelter centres in Stary Oskol, Gubkin and the Korochansky district" which are further from the border, Belgorod region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a video posted on Telegram.

"Over the past 24 hours we received 1,300 requests to send Belgorod children to school camps away from the city, in other regions," he said.

The evacuation from Belgorod, which is less than 20 miles (32 kilometres) from the Ukrainian border, is so far the largest of a major Russian city ever since Moscow began its offensive against Kyiv in Feb 2022.

Ukraine launched strikes on the Russian city on Dec 30 claiming the lives of at least 25 people. 
 
Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos

(With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine on Monday (Jan 8) came under a fresh wave of Russian missile attacks that struck near the front lines of fighting in the east, western as well as central parts of the country, said the officials.

Ukraine on Monday (Jan 8) came under a fresh wave of Russian missile attacks that struck near the front lines of fighting in the east, western as well as central parts of the country, said the officials. The strikes claimed the lives of at least three and wounded dozens of others. The latest barrage of hypersonic projectiles fired by Moscow comes less than a week after Kyiv cautioned that it only had sufficient ammunition to withstand a few more powerful attacks amid Russia's intense bombardment. "The enemy launched dozens of missiles at peaceful cities and villages of Ukraine," Ukraine's deputy head of the presidency Oleksiy Kuleba said, adding that 33 were injured. Some of the Ukrainian targets hit by the Russian projectiles were high-rise buildings and a shopping centre in President Volodymyr Zelensky's hometown Kryvyi Rig, claiming the life of at least one, said Kuleba. "In Kryvyi Rig, there are many breakages in power grids, there are power outages, and electric transport does not work," he said. Separate "explosions" in the western region of Khmelnytsky, far from the frontlines in the east, he said, killed one person. Also read: Zelensky personally ordered Belgorod attack, claims Russian state media Around 300 evacuated from Belgorod over Ukraine strikes, says Russia Russia said that it has evacuated nearly 300 residents of Belgorod over strikes by Ukraine. The governor of the Belgorod region, which is a city near the Ukrainian border, on Monday, released a statement saying that the ones evacuated have been moved to temporary shelter centres. "Some 300 residents of Belgorod, who decided to temporarily evacuate, are at the moment being housed in temporary shelter centres in Stary Oskol, Gubkin and the Korochansky district" which are further from the border, Belgorod region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a video posted on Telegram. "Over the past 24 hours we received 1,300 requests to send Belgorod children to school camps away from the city, in other regions," he said. The evacuation from Belgorod, which is less than 20 miles (32 kilometres) from the Ukrainian border, is so far the largest of a major Russian city ever since Moscow began its offensive against Kyiv in Feb 2022. Ukraine launched strikes on the Russian city on Dec 30 claiming the lives of at least 25 people. Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos (With inputs from agencies)

Search on for 1,276 now missing after California's deadliest wildfire killed 76

California wildfires: Trump refers fire-ravaged town Paradise as 'Pleasure' until corrected

The United States President Donald Trump on Sunday visited California to asses the damage caused by the devastating wildfires ravaging in the Southern and Northern side of the state.&nbsp;

However, things did not go very well for him as he referred the 'Camp Fire' affected town Paradise as "Pleasure" -- twice -- until officials corrected him.

"You don't really see the gravity of it (fire destruction). I mean, as big as they look on the 'tube' (TV), you don't see what's going on until you come here. And what we saw at Pleasure, what a name right now -- But what we just saw, we just left Pleasure," Trump said

Officials then corrected him and looking undeterred&nbsp;Trump continued speaking, "Paradise, and what we just saw at Paradise, is just, you know, it's just not acceptable".

All this while, state governor Jerry Brown was standing beside him who had been staring at the ground, instantly looked up with a confused look on his face as the president got the name of the area incorrect.

The outbreak of the Camp Fire in Northern California coincided with a series of smaller blazes in Southern California, most notably the Woolsey Fire, which is linked to three fatalities and has destroyed at least 500 structures near the Malibu coast west of Los Angeles.

According to a report by Reuters, at least 76 people have died in 'Camp Fire'&nbsp;in Paradise.

Thousands of people have also been displaced with over 1276 people missing by California's most destructive wildfire outbreak.&nbsp;

Trump has however blamed the recent spate of fires on forest mismanagement sparking outrage among the people.

Scientists have said the growing frequency and intensity of wildfires in California and elsewhere across the West are largely attributable to prolonged drought that is symptomatic of climate change.

The United States President Donald Trump on Sunday visited California to asses the damage caused by the devastating wildfires ravaging in the Southern and Northern side of the state.

The United States President Donald Trump on Sunday visited California to asses the damage caused by the devastating wildfires ravaging in the Southern and Northern side of the state. However, things did not go very well for him as he referred the 'Camp Fire' affected town Paradise as "Pleasure" -- twice -- until officials corrected him. "You don't really see the gravity of it (fire destruction). I mean, as big as they look on the 'tube' (TV), you don't see what's going on until you come here. And what we saw at Pleasure, what a name right now -- But what we just saw, we just left Pleasure," Trump said Officials then corrected him and looking undeterred Trump continued speaking, "Paradise, and what we just saw at Paradise, is just, you know, it's just not acceptable". All this while, state governor Jerry Brown was standing beside him who had been staring at the ground, instantly looked up with a confused look on his face as the president got the name of the area incorrect. The outbreak of the Camp Fire in Northern California coincided with a series of smaller blazes in Southern California, most notably the Woolsey Fire, which is linked to three fatalities and has destroyed at least 500 structures near the Malibu coast west of Los Angeles. According to a report by Reuters, at least 76 people have died in 'Camp Fire' in Paradise. Thousands of people have also been displaced with over 1276 people missing by California's most destructive wildfire outbreak. Trump has however blamed the recent spate of fires on forest mismanagement sparking outrage among the people. Scientists have said the growing frequency and intensity of wildfires in California and elsewhere across the West are largely attributable to prolonged drought that is symptomatic of climate change.

Watch: Trump in California refers to fire-ravaged town Paradise as 'Pleasure'

California's wildfires force numerous people to flee their homes

Nine people were declared dead and tens of thousands evacuated Friday as fierce wildfires raged across the western US state of California, with one rapidly spreading blaze threatening the famed resort of Malibu.

All of the fatalities were reported in a massive late-season inferno in the town of Paradise, in Butte County north of the state capital Sacramento, where the entire population of 26,000 was ordered to leave, officials said.

The fast moving blaze, known as the "Camp Fire," began Thursday morning. Fanned by strong winds, it has scorched 70,000 acres (28,300 hectares) and has not been contained, the California Fire Department (Cal Fire) said.

Two other fires broke out in southern California, one in Ventura County near Thousand Oaks, where a Marine Corps veteran shot dead 12 people in a country music bar on Wednesday night.

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"The magnitude of destruction we have seen is really unbelievable and heartbreaking and our hearts go to everybody who has been affected by this," said Mark Ghilarducci, the director of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services.

Late Friday Butte County Sheriff Korey Honea updated the Camp Fire death toll.&nbsp;

"It's my sad duty to confirm that we now have a total of nine fatalities," he said, four more fatalities beyond the five reported earlier.

Details were limited, and Honea did not release names of the victims.

"I don't have all of the details because we have investigators out on the field attempting to get to those locations" where the casualties were reported, Honea said at a press conference.

But he did say that four people were found inside a vehicle in the Paradise area, while another was found nearby outside the vehicle. Three more were found outside a residence, and one inside a house.

Dozens of other people were reported missing.

Nine people were declared dead and tens of thousands evacuated Friday as fierce wildfires raged across the western US state of California, with one rapidly spreading blaze threatening the famed resort of Malibu.

Nine people were declared dead and tens of thousands evacuated Friday as fierce wildfires raged across the western US state of California, with one rapidly spreading blaze threatening the famed resort of Malibu. All of the fatalities were reported in a massive late-season inferno in the town of Paradise, in Butte County north of the state capital Sacramento, where the entire population of 26,000 was ordered to leave, officials said. The fast moving blaze, known as the "Camp Fire," began Thursday morning. Fanned by strong winds, it has scorched 70,000 acres (28,300 hectares) and has not been contained, the California Fire Department (Cal Fire) said. Two other fires broke out in southern California, one in Ventura County near Thousand Oaks, where a Marine Corps veteran shot dead 12 people in a country music bar on Wednesday night. × "The magnitude of destruction we have seen is really unbelievable and heartbreaking and our hearts go to everybody who has been affected by this," said Mark Ghilarducci, the director of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services. Late Friday Butte County Sheriff Korey Honea updated the Camp Fire death toll. "It's my sad duty to confirm that we now have a total of nine fatalities," he said, four more fatalities beyond the five reported earlier. Details were limited, and Honea did not release names of the victims. "I don't have all of the details because we have investigators out on the field attempting to get to those locations" where the casualties were reported, Honea said at a press conference. But he did say that four people were found inside a vehicle in the Paradise area, while another was found nearby outside the vehicle. Three more were found outside a residence, and one inside a house. Dozens of other people were reported missing.

Nine die in California wildfires, 150,000 forced to flee

Crews battling wildfires ravaging southern California for a week have managed to slow the spread of the worst of the blazes, officials said Tuesday, as residents were taking stock of the catastrophic damage.&nbsp;But the biggest &quot;Thomas&quot; fire, which has charred nearly 95,000 hectares (234,000 acres) of land, remains only 20 percent contained, according to official data, as firefighters warned of an ongoing threat.

Evacuation orders were in place for threatened areas in the Santa Barbara region about 160 kilometers (100 miles) northwest of Los Angeles.&nbsp;In the past day or so, the blazing figure has grown by around a thousand hectares. 
Nearly 6,400 firefighters have been toiling for a week against blazes fueled by bone-dry conditions and powerful winds.

Winds will blow at up to 65 km per hour (40 miles per hour), forecasters said, as public health authorities urged people to wear face masks to protect against ash and smoke. Retired pilot Don Thompson, who has an avocado farm in the coastal resort of Carpinteria, near Santa Barbara, described the loss of his recently deceased brother&#39;s house to the blaze as &quot;the end of an era for our family&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;He built this house himself&quot;, he said pointing to two smoldering stone chimneys that were all that remained.&nbsp;&quot;Here was the jacuzzi, there....there was a deck where you could see the ocean&quot;, he added.&nbsp;Half of Thompson family&#39;s avocado orchard was destroyed, while thick black smoke persisted Tuesday, limiting visibility to some 50 meters (55 yards).

&quot;There were some tears&quot;, he continued. Though he was more fortunate to save his own property, thanks partly through his family&#39;s own efforts with a water pump, generator, and hose, he admitted he had been overawed by the &quot;majesty&quot; of the inferno. &quot;It&#39;s destruction but it&#39;s still nature and it had some beauty&quot;, he said.

The highway that runs through the area was not enough to stop the spread of the flames, which was propelled by burning vegetation.&nbsp;On the seaside, the palm trees that symbolize the state for many were reduced to sad blackened trunks.

&quot;Thomas&quot; is the fifth biggest fire in California&#39;s history, said Eric Boldt, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Los Angeles.&nbsp;It is the biggest of six blazes that have been burning since last Monday, with the others now more than 90 percent contained.

Altogether, the fires have burned down more than 100,000 hectares of land and forced the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people.&nbsp;California&#39;s Governor Jerry Brown, meanwhile, warned the wildfires ravaging his state should serve as a warning for other parts of the world threatened by climate change.&nbsp;

&quot;The important fact is that these fires are going to become a very frequent occurrence, that&#39;s what the science is telling us&quot;, he told AFP on the sidelines of the One Planet Summit, held in Paris. &quot;It&#39;s a real indicator of bad things to come and hopefully will serve to wake up people who right now are too complacent&quot;, he added.

Experts say that global warming increases the risk of out-of-control blazes by drying out vegetation, making it more inflammable and easily set alight by lightning, spontaneous combustion, or fires lit by humans.&nbsp;Despite the intensity of the fires, which in many areas have left behind scenes reminiscent of a moonscape, authorities so far have reported one fatality -- a 70-year-old woman who died in a car accident while fleeing from the flames in the Thomas area.&nbsp;But authorities are taking nothing for granted.

The fire was still raging in the hills of Carpinteria on Tuesday, as firefighters attempted to create a line to stop its progress, Don Camp, a firefighter captain said.&nbsp;&quot;It could be an active night again, all the communities on the coastline including Santa Barbara are threatened&quot;, added Camp.&nbsp;Entreaties to leave were not enough for some. Placing his gas mask over his face, Ken Coffey, said he would remain at his house on Shepard Mesa Lane. He said, &quot;I may fry but if I have to go, what more honorable way than defending your family&#39;s house?&quot;.&nbsp;

As most of California wildfires slows down, Thomas inferno remains unabated. The fires in total have burned down more than 100,000 hectares of land and forced the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people

Crews battling wildfires ravaging southern California for a week have managed to slow the spread of the worst of the blazes, officials said Tuesday, as residents were taking stock of the catastrophic damage. But the biggest "Thomas" fire, which has charred nearly 95,000 hectares (234,000 acres) of land, remains only 20 percent contained, according to official data, as firefighters warned of an ongoing threat. Evacuation orders were in place for threatened areas in the Santa Barbara region about 160 kilometers (100 miles) northwest of Los Angeles. In the past day or so, the blazing figure has grown by around a thousand hectares. Nearly 6,400 firefighters have been toiling for a week against blazes fueled by bone-dry conditions and powerful winds. Winds will blow at up to 65 km per hour (40 miles per hour), forecasters said, as public health authorities urged people to wear face masks to protect against ash and smoke. Retired pilot Don Thompson, who has an avocado farm in the coastal resort of Carpinteria, near Santa Barbara, described the loss of his recently deceased brother's house to the blaze as "the end of an era for our family". "He built this house himself", he said pointing to two smoldering stone chimneys that were all that remained. "Here was the jacuzzi, there....there was a deck where you could see the ocean", he added. Half of Thompson family's avocado orchard was destroyed, while thick black smoke persisted Tuesday, limiting visibility to some 50 meters (55 yards). "There were some tears", he continued. Though he was more fortunate to save his own property, thanks partly through his family's own efforts with a water pump, generator, and hose, he admitted he had been overawed by the "majesty" of the inferno. "It's destruction but it's still nature and it had some beauty", he said. The highway that runs through the area was not enough to stop the spread of the flames, which was propelled by burning vegetation. On the seaside, the palm trees that symbolize the state for many were reduced to sad blackened trunks. "Thomas" is the fifth biggest fire in California's history, said Eric Boldt, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Los Angeles. It is the biggest of six blazes that have been burning since last Monday, with the others now more than 90 percent contained. Altogether, the fires have burned down more than 100,000 hectares of land and forced the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people. California's Governor Jerry Brown, meanwhile, warned the wildfires ravaging his state should serve as a warning for other parts of the world threatened by climate change. "The important fact is that these fires are going to become a very frequent occurrence, that's what the science is telling us", he told AFP on the sidelines of the One Planet Summit, held in Paris. "It's a real indicator of bad things to come and hopefully will serve to wake up people who right now are too complacent", he added. Experts say that global warming increases the risk of out-of-control blazes by drying out vegetation, making it more inflammable and easily set alight by lightning, spontaneous combustion, or fires lit by humans. Despite the intensity of the fires, which in many areas have left behind scenes reminiscent of a moonscape, authorities so far have reported one fatality -- a 70-year-old woman who died in a car accident while fleeing from the flames in the Thomas area. But authorities are taking nothing for granted. The fire was still raging in the hills of Carpinteria on Tuesday, as firefighters attempted to create a line to stop its progress, Don Camp, a firefighter captain said. "It could be an active night again, all the communities on the coastline including Santa Barbara are threatened", added Camp. Entreaties to leave were not enough for some. Placing his gas mask over his face, Ken Coffey, said he would remain at his house on Shepard Mesa Lane. He said, "I may fry but if I have to go, what more honorable way than defending your family's house?".

Monster fire slows as California homeowners pick up pieces

The death toll from raging <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/california-wildfires-death-toll-goes-up-to-21-21314" target="_blank">California wildfires rose to 31</a> Thursday as body recovery teams used cadaver dogs to locate victims, making it the deadliest series of blazes in the state&#39;s history.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/wildfires-kill-10-in-california-21192" target="_blank">The fires, which began on Sunday, have swept through California&#39;s wine country,</a> leaving thousands of people homeless and burning over 190,000 acres (76,000 hectares) of land.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/15-dead-as-wildfires-torch-california-wine-country-21261" target="_blank">Gusty winds on Thursday were hampering the efforts of the 8,000 firefighters battling 20 blazes</a>, and weather conditions were not forecast to improve.

&quot;What this means is that our fires will continue to burn erratically,&quot; California fire chief Ken Pimlott told a news conference. &quot;They have the potential to shift in any direction at any time.

&quot;We are a long way from being done with this catastrophe,&quot; he said.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) announced Thursday that the fires have claimed 31 lives, while Sheriff Rob Giordano of hard-hit Sonoma County said his department has received around 1,100 reports of missing persons.

Of those, &quot;745 of them, roughly, have been located safe,&quot; while &quot;we still have 400 outstanding,&quot; Giordano said, noting that the actual figure may be smaller because there are sometimes duplicate reports.

He said targeted body recovery efforts had begun in cases where all other leads were exhausted.&nbsp;

&quot;We&#39;re moving into a recovery phase,&quot; he said. &quot;We have cadaver dogs up here that can basically scent bodies and help us find people.&quot;

Giordano warned that it was &quot;going to be a slow process&quot; as fires continue to burn and that identifying victims would be difficult.

&quot;Some of these remains are actually intact bodies -- much easier to identify, much easier to get things from. Some of them are merely ashes and bones, and we may never get a truly confirmative identification on ashes,&quot; he said.

In cases in which bodies have been badly burned, authorities have had to use dental records and serial numbers on medical devices to identify the dead.

Asked if he expected the death toll to rise, Giordano replied: &quot;I&#39;d be unrealistic if I didn&#39;t.&quot;

The sheriff said that of the 17 people confirmed dead in Sonoma County, 10 have now been identified.

&quot;The youngest person on this list is 57 years old. The bulk of them are in their 70s and 80s,&quot; he said.

As recovery teams fanned out searching for fire victims, evacuation orders were issued for towns in wine-producing Napa and Sonoma counties, where hundreds of people have already lost their homes to the fast-moving infernos.

Residents of Calistoga, a resort town of some 5,000 people in Napa, and Geyserville, a town of around 800 people in Sonoma, were told to leave and seek shelter elsewhere.

Risk of new fires 
 
Entire neighbourhoods in Santa Rosa have been reduced to ashes, and evacuation orders were issued for additional parts of the devastated city of 175,000 people in Sonoma County.

Cal Fire meanwhile said that strong winds could spark new fires.

&quot;These winds will continue to challenge firefighters in their efforts towards containment and will increase the risk for new fires,&quot; Cal Fire said.

The National Weather Service said wind gusts of up to 50 miles (80 kilometers) per hour were forecast in some areas and the &quot;critical fire weather conditions&quot; would continue into the weekend.&nbsp;

Pimlott, the Cal Fire chief, said hundreds of fire engines and dozens of firefighting crews were being brought in from other states.

&quot;Hour by hour more resources pour in,&quot; he said.

A state emergency management official said the authorities were looking into bringing in firefighters from as far away as Australia.

David Shew, a veteran firefighter with Cal Fire, said the wildfires were like nothing he&#39;s seen before.

&quot;I&#39;ve been with Cal Fire for 30 years and I&#39;ve seen big fires,&quot; he told AFP. &quot;But this is extraordinary, having that many and that large and going so fast.&quot;

Thousands of people have been left homeless and 25,000 people have evacuated their homes in Sonoma County alone, according to officials.

More than 3,500 homes and businesses have been destroyed, including several wineries in Sonoma and Napa counties, the heart of the state&#39;s extensive wine production.

President Donald Trump has declared a major disaster in California, freeing up federal funding and resources to help fight the fires, and Governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency in eight counties.

Michael Desmond, 63, was among the hundreds of residents of Santa Rosa&#39;s Coffey Park neighbourhood who lost their homes.

&quot;I feel violated like a thief came in,&quot; said Desmond, who sobbed as he surveyed the rubble of the house where he grew up.

Forest fires are common in the western United States during the summer but this year&#39;s blazes in California are the deadliest series of fires to hit the state.

The Griffith Park fire in Los Angeles County in 1933 killed at least 29 people, and 25 people died in the 1991 Oakland Hills fire.

The fires have swept through California's wine country, leaving thousands of people homeless

The death toll from raging California wildfires rose to 31 Thursday as body recovery teams used cadaver dogs to locate victims, making it the deadliest series of blazes in the state's history. The fires, which began on Sunday, have swept through California's wine country, leaving thousands of people homeless and burning over 190,000 acres (76,000 hectares) of land. Gusty winds on Thursday were hampering the efforts of the 8,000 firefighters battling 20 blazes, and weather conditions were not forecast to improve. "What this means is that our fires will continue to burn erratically," California fire chief Ken Pimlott told a news conference. "They have the potential to shift in any direction at any time. "We are a long way from being done with this catastrophe," he said. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) announced Thursday that the fires have claimed 31 lives, while Sheriff Rob Giordano of hard-hit Sonoma County said his department has received around 1,100 reports of missing persons. Of those, "745 of them, roughly, have been located safe," while "we still have 400 outstanding," Giordano said, noting that the actual figure may be smaller because there are sometimes duplicate reports. He said targeted body recovery efforts had begun in cases where all other leads were exhausted. "We're moving into a recovery phase," he said. "We have cadaver dogs up here that can basically scent bodies and help us find people." Giordano warned that it was "going to be a slow process" as fires continue to burn and that identifying victims would be difficult. "Some of these remains are actually intact bodies -- much easier to identify, much easier to get things from. Some of them are merely ashes and bones, and we may never get a truly confirmative identification on ashes," he said. In cases in which bodies have been badly burned, authorities have had to use dental records and serial numbers on medical devices to identify the dead. Asked if he expected the death toll to rise, Giordano replied: "I'd be unrealistic if I didn't." The sheriff said that of the 17 people confirmed dead in Sonoma County, 10 have now been identified. "The youngest person on this list is 57 years old. The bulk of them are in their 70s and 80s," he said. As recovery teams fanned out searching for fire victims, evacuation orders were issued for towns in wine-producing Napa and Sonoma counties, where hundreds of people have already lost their homes to the fast-moving infernos. Residents of Calistoga, a resort town of some 5,000 people in Napa, and Geyserville, a town of around 800 people in Sonoma, were told to leave and seek shelter elsewhere. Risk of new fires Entire neighbourhoods in Santa Rosa have been reduced to ashes, and evacuation orders were issued for additional parts of the devastated city of 175,000 people in Sonoma County. Cal Fire meanwhile said that strong winds could spark new fires. "These winds will continue to challenge firefighters in their efforts towards containment and will increase the risk for new fires," Cal Fire said. The National Weather Service said wind gusts of up to 50 miles (80 kilometers) per hour were forecast in some areas and the "critical fire weather conditions" would continue into the weekend. Pimlott, the Cal Fire chief, said hundreds of fire engines and dozens of firefighting crews were being brought in from other states. "Hour by hour more resources pour in," he said. A state emergency management official said the authorities were looking into bringing in firefighters from as far away as Australia. David Shew, a veteran firefighter with Cal Fire, said the wildfires were like nothing he's seen before. "I've been with Cal Fire for 30 years and I've seen big fires," he told AFP. "But this is extraordinary, having that many and that large and going so fast." Thousands of people have been left homeless and 25,000 people have evacuated their homes in Sonoma County alone, according to officials. More than 3,500 homes and businesses have been destroyed, including several wineries in Sonoma and Napa counties, the heart of the state's extensive wine production. President Donald Trump has declared a major disaster in California, freeing up federal funding and resources to help fight the fires, and Governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency in eight counties. Michael Desmond, 63, was among the hundreds of residents of Santa Rosa's Coffey Park neighbourhood who lost their homes. "I feel violated like a thief came in," said Desmond, who sobbed as he surveyed the rubble of the house where he grew up. Forest fires are common in the western United States during the summer but this year's blazes in California are the deadliest series of fires to hit the state. The Griffith Park fire in Los Angeles County in 1933 killed at least 29 people, and 25 people died in the 1991 Oakland Hills fire.

Toll in California fires rises to 31, deadliest in state's history

Firefighters facing a resurgence of high winds on Wednesday struggled to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/15-dead-as-wildfires-torch-california-wine-country-21261" target="_blank">halt wildfires that have killed at least 23 people, destroyed 3,500 structures</a> and left hundreds missing in chaotic evacuations across northern California&#39;s wine country.

Nearly two dozen blazes spanning eight counties have charred around 170,000 acres (68,797 hectares). <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/wildfires-kill-10-in-california-21192" target="_blank">Flames erupted on Sunday night when gale force winds toppled power lines across the region</a>, possibly igniting one of the deadliest wildfire outbreaks in California history.

Flames were spread rapidly by hot, dry &quot;Diablo&quot; winds - similar to Southern California&#39;s Santa Ana winds - that blew into northern California towards the Pacific on Sunday night.

The official cause of ignition has not been determined. But electric wires knocked down by those same winds may have sparked the conflagration, according to Daniel Berlant, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

&quot;That is definitely a possibility, he told Reuters. &quot;Power lines are a common cause of fires during wind events.&quot;

Berlant said some of the victims in northern California were asleep when the fast-moving fires broke out, igniting their homes before they could escape.

More than 20,000 people remained under evacuation as the fires raged largely unchecked for a third day, belching palls of smoke that engulfed the region and drifted south over the San Francisco Bay area, where some residents donned face masks.

More than 550 people were still reported unaccounted for in Sonoma County on Wednesday morning, said Jennifer Laroque, a county emergency operations centre spokeswoman.

It was unclear how many of the missing might be actual fire victims rather than evacuees who merely failed to check in with authorities after fleeing their homes. Officials urged displaced residents to let their family members know they were safe.

Obliterated neighbourhoods

The Sonoma County town of Santa Rosa, the largest city in the wine country region, was particularly hard hit by one of the fiercest blazes, the so-called Tubbs fire. Block after block of some neighborhoods were virtually obliterated with nothing left but charred debris, broken walls, chimneys and the steel frames of burned-out cars.

&quot;It&#39;s like driving through a war zone,&quot; J J&nbsp;Murphy, 22, one of the thousands of evacuees, said of the area around his home in the Sonoma Valley community of Glen Ellen.

Murphy, five relatives, a bird, a dog and two cats piled into their camper van to flee on Monday, he said.

&quot;It&#39;s crazy how in just a few hours a place I&#39;ve recognised all my life I can&#39;t recognise,&quot; he said at a roadside food stop in the town of Sonoma.

In the town of Napa on the first night of a blaze dubbed the Atlas fire, nearly 50 people who were in danger of being overrun by flames were rescued by the crews of two California Highway Patrol helicopters working in tandem during a seven-hour aerial evacuation operation.

The weather gave firefighters a bit of a respite on Tuesday as cooler temperatures, lower winds, and coastal fog enabled them to make headway against the flames. Fire crews labored on Wednesday to strengthen containment lines as winds picked up again.

&quot;We&rsquo;re not out of the woods and we&rsquo;re not going to be out of the woods for a great number of days to come,&quot; Ken Pimlott, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), said at a news conference.

In addition to high winds, fires were stoked by an abundance of thick brush and other vegetation left tinder-dry by a summer of hot, dry weather and months with little or no rainfall. The cause of the fires remained under investigation.

Matt Nauman, a spokesman for the region&#39;s main utility, Pacific Gas &amp; Electric, acknowledged that fallen power lines were widespread during the &quot;historic wind event,&quot; which he said packed some hurricane-strength gusts in excess of 75 miles per hour.

Fires enter record books

At least 11 people were killed by the Tubbs fire in Sonoma County alone, officials said. It is the deadliest single California wildfire since 2003, when the so-called Cedar fire killed 15 people in San Diego, according to state data.

The latest overall death toll of 21, including six fatalities in Mendocino County and two more each in Napa and Yuba counties, marks the greatest loss of life from a California wildfire event in 26 years since 25 people perished in a firestorm that swept the Oakland Hills in October 1991.

The deadliest wildfire on record in California dates back to October 1933, when 29 lives were lost in the Griffith Park fire in Los Angeles.

Officials identified the dead in Napa County as 100-year-old Charles Rippey and his 98-year-old wife, Sarah. His body was found outside where his wife&#39;s bedroom once stood, their son, Mike Rippey, told local television.

&quot;He was trying to get from his room to her room,&quot; he said. &quot;He never made it.&quot;

Wildfires have damaged or demolished at least 13 Napa Valley wineries, a trade group for vintners there said on Tuesday. But experts say smoke rather than flames may pose a greater risk to the delicate grapes still waiting to be picked.

California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in several northern counties, as well as in Orange County in Southern California, where a fire in Anaheim destroyed 15 structures and damaged 12.

The wildfires have killed at least 21 people, destroyed 3,500 structures and left hundreds missing in chaotic evacuations across northern California's wine country

Firefighters facing a resurgence of high winds on Wednesday struggled to halt wildfires that have killed at least 23 people, destroyed 3,500 structures and left hundreds missing in chaotic evacuations across northern California's wine country. Nearly two dozen blazes spanning eight counties have charred around 170,000 acres (68,797 hectares). Flames erupted on Sunday night when gale force winds toppled power lines across the region, possibly igniting one of the deadliest wildfire outbreaks in California history. Flames were spread rapidly by hot, dry "Diablo" winds - similar to Southern California's Santa Ana winds - that blew into northern California towards the Pacific on Sunday night. The official cause of ignition has not been determined. But electric wires knocked down by those same winds may have sparked the conflagration, according to Daniel Berlant, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). "That is definitely a possibility, he told Reuters. "Power lines are a common cause of fires during wind events." Berlant said some of the victims in northern California were asleep when the fast-moving fires broke out, igniting their homes before they could escape. More than 20,000 people remained under evacuation as the fires raged largely unchecked for a third day, belching palls of smoke that engulfed the region and drifted south over the San Francisco Bay area, where some residents donned face masks. More than 550 people were still reported unaccounted for in Sonoma County on Wednesday morning, said Jennifer Laroque, a county emergency operations centre spokeswoman. It was unclear how many of the missing might be actual fire victims rather than evacuees who merely failed to check in with authorities after fleeing their homes. Officials urged displaced residents to let their family members know they were safe. Obliterated neighbourhoods The Sonoma County town of Santa Rosa, the largest city in the wine country region, was particularly hard hit by one of the fiercest blazes, the so-called Tubbs fire. Block after block of some neighborhoods were virtually obliterated with nothing left but charred debris, broken walls, chimneys and the steel frames of burned-out cars. "It's like driving through a war zone," J J Murphy, 22, one of the thousands of evacuees, said of the area around his home in the Sonoma Valley community of Glen Ellen. Murphy, five relatives, a bird, a dog and two cats piled into their camper van to flee on Monday, he said. "It's crazy how in just a few hours a place I've recognised all my life I can't recognise," he said at a roadside food stop in the town of Sonoma. In the town of Napa on the first night of a blaze dubbed the Atlas fire, nearly 50 people who were in danger of being overrun by flames were rescued by the crews of two California Highway Patrol helicopters working in tandem during a seven-hour aerial evacuation operation. The weather gave firefighters a bit of a respite on Tuesday as cooler temperatures, lower winds, and coastal fog enabled them to make headway against the flames. Fire crews labored on Wednesday to strengthen containment lines as winds picked up again. "We’re not out of the woods and we’re not going to be out of the woods for a great number of days to come," Ken Pimlott, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), said at a news conference. In addition to high winds, fires were stoked by an abundance of thick brush and other vegetation left tinder-dry by a summer of hot, dry weather and months with little or no rainfall. The cause of the fires remained under investigation. Matt Nauman, a spokesman for the region's main utility, Pacific Gas & Electric, acknowledged that fallen power lines were widespread during the "historic wind event," which he said packed some hurricane-strength gusts in excess of 75 miles per hour. Fires enter record books At least 11 people were killed by the Tubbs fire in Sonoma County alone, officials said. It is the deadliest single California wildfire since 2003, when the so-called Cedar fire killed 15 people in San Diego, according to state data. The latest overall death toll of 21, including six fatalities in Mendocino County and two more each in Napa and Yuba counties, marks the greatest loss of life from a California wildfire event in 26 years since 25 people perished in a firestorm that swept the Oakland Hills in October 1991. The deadliest wildfire on record in California dates back to October 1933, when 29 lives were lost in the Griffith Park fire in Los Angeles. Officials identified the dead in Napa County as 100-year-old Charles Rippey and his 98-year-old wife, Sarah. His body was found outside where his wife's bedroom once stood, their son, Mike Rippey, told local television. "He was trying to get from his room to her room," he said. "He never made it." Wildfires have damaged or demolished at least 13 Napa Valley wineries, a trade group for vintners there said on Tuesday. But experts say smoke rather than flames may pose a greater risk to the delicate grapes still waiting to be picked. California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in several northern counties, as well as in Orange County in Southern California, where a fire in Anaheim destroyed 15 structures and damaged 12.

California wildfires: Death toll goes up to 23

Firefighters battled wildfires in California&#39;s wine region on Tuesday as the death toll rose to 15 and thousands were left homeless in neighborhoods reduced to ashes.

&quot;The homes are gone, they are like dust,&quot; said Jack Dixon, a personal trainer who lives in Santa Rosa, a city of 175,000 in Sonoma County. &quot;It is just like we were nuked.&quot;

Dixon told AFP that his own neighborhood was spared when the fire &quot;miraculously&quot; changed direction but many others were not so fortunate.

&quot;I am surrounded by devastation and feel lucky it didn&#39;t happen to me,&quot; Dixon said.

US President Donald Trump declared a major disaster in California, freeing up federal funding and resources to help fight the 17 large wildfires in the western state.

Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in eight counties -- including wine-producing Napa and Sonoma -- and said thousands of firefighters had been deployed to fight the blazes.

The state fire prevention agency Calfire forecast strong winds for Wednesday, which could fan the fires.

Nine deaths were reported in Sonoma County, three in Mendocino County, two in Napa County and one in Yuba County and the governor said &quot;emergency responders anticipate the number of fatalities could grow.&quot;

Among the dead were a couple aged 99 and 100-years-old from Napa who had been married for 75 years, KTVU-TV said. They were unable to evacuate their home in time.

The Sonoma County Sheriff&#39;s Department said on its Facebook page it had received reports of 200 missing people.

Forty-five had been located and the department said it was confident that many of the rest would be found safe.

About 25,000 people have been evacuated in Sonoma County alone, the department said, and 5,000 have sought refuge in shelters.

The fires have torched more than 115,000 acres (46,500 hectares) and destroyed over 2,000 homes and businesses, according to the authorities.

Winds have weakened 
 
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said 17 large fires were continuing to burn on Tuesday.

&quot;The winds that fanned these fires Sunday night and Monday morning have decreased significantly, but local winds and dry conditions continue to pose a challenge,&quot; Cal Fire said.

&quot;With the decrease in the winds combined with cooler weather, firefighters made good progress overnight,&quot; it added.

Governor Brown said the &quot;devastation and disruption caused by these fires is extraordinary.

&quot;Thousands have been made homeless.&quot;

Much of the worst damage was in Santa Rosa, the county seat of Sonoma County, and could be seen from US Route 101, the north-south highway which runs from California through Oregon to Washington state.

The Sonoma County Hilton perched on a hill overlooking 101 was a smoldering ruin of charred wood and twisted metal, as was the nearby Fountaingrove Inn.

An enormous K-Mart store was entirely destroyed with only a couple of blackened walls still standing.&nbsp;

Among the wineries which reportedly suffered damage were William Hill Estate Winery in Napa, Signorello Vineyards, Stags&#39; Leap and Chimney Rock.&nbsp;

Maureen Fairchild, a nurse, was working at a hospital in Marin County where some of the evacuees were brought.

&quot;I was working in a memory-impaired unit,&quot; Fairchild told AFP. &quot;We had all these people who were already confused and now they were in an unfamiliar place with all this frenzy going on around them.&quot;

Kris Hammar, who lives in Santa Rosa on the edge of a mandatory evacuation zone, had not yet evacuated but was monitoring maps, wind direction, and fire updates to see if she and her family should bolt.

&quot;The fire is close, very close,&quot; Hammer said. &quot;Everything is in the car, and we are checking constantly to see if anything has changed.&quot;

Troy Newton, 46, a Sonoma County sheriff&#39;s detective, was among those who fled Santa Rosa. &nbsp;

Newton told The Los Angeles Times he was returning home when he saw a &quot;growing red snake&quot; of fire.

&quot;I ran into my house and told my wife to get our four-year-old boy ready to leave,&quot; Newton said, before raising the alarm for around 40 neighbors.

&quot;It was boom, boom, boom. Ring the door bell. Boom, boom -- until someone inside got the message,&quot; he said.

Pacific Gas &amp; Electric said more than 196,000 customers had initially lost electricity although half had had their power restored.

Governor Brown in April declared the official end of the state&#39;s drought that lasted more than five years.

But California is still dealing with the Santa Ana winds, a meteorological phenomenon which brings dry winds down from the high mountains east of the coastal areas -- a recipe for perfect wildfire conditions.

Forest fires are common in the western United States during dry, hot summer months.

Last month, a massive fire described as the biggest in the history of Los Angeles forced hundreds to evacuate their homes.

Firefighters battled wildfires in California's wine region on Tuesday as the death toll rose to 15 and thousands were left homeless in neighborhoods reduced to ashes

Firefighters battled wildfires in California's wine region on Tuesday as the death toll rose to 15 and thousands were left homeless in neighborhoods reduced to ashes. "The homes are gone, they are like dust," said Jack Dixon, a personal trainer who lives in Santa Rosa, a city of 175,000 in Sonoma County. "It is just like we were nuked." Dixon told AFP that his own neighborhood was spared when the fire "miraculously" changed direction but many others were not so fortunate. "I am surrounded by devastation and feel lucky it didn't happen to me," Dixon said. US President Donald Trump declared a major disaster in California, freeing up federal funding and resources to help fight the 17 large wildfires in the western state. Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in eight counties -- including wine-producing Napa and Sonoma -- and said thousands of firefighters had been deployed to fight the blazes. The state fire prevention agency Calfire forecast strong winds for Wednesday, which could fan the fires. Nine deaths were reported in Sonoma County, three in Mendocino County, two in Napa County and one in Yuba County and the governor said "emergency responders anticipate the number of fatalities could grow." Among the dead were a couple aged 99 and 100-years-old from Napa who had been married for 75 years, KTVU-TV said. They were unable to evacuate their home in time. The Sonoma County Sheriff's Department said on its Facebook page it had received reports of 200 missing people. Forty-five had been located and the department said it was confident that many of the rest would be found safe. About 25,000 people have been evacuated in Sonoma County alone, the department said, and 5,000 have sought refuge in shelters. The fires have torched more than 115,000 acres (46,500 hectares) and destroyed over 2,000 homes and businesses, according to the authorities. Winds have weakened The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said 17 large fires were continuing to burn on Tuesday. "The winds that fanned these fires Sunday night and Monday morning have decreased significantly, but local winds and dry conditions continue to pose a challenge," Cal Fire said. "With the decrease in the winds combined with cooler weather, firefighters made good progress overnight," it added. Governor Brown said the "devastation and disruption caused by these fires is extraordinary. "Thousands have been made homeless." Much of the worst damage was in Santa Rosa, the county seat of Sonoma County, and could be seen from US Route 101, the north-south highway which runs from California through Oregon to Washington state. The Sonoma County Hilton perched on a hill overlooking 101 was a smoldering ruin of charred wood and twisted metal, as was the nearby Fountaingrove Inn. An enormous K-Mart store was entirely destroyed with only a couple of blackened walls still standing. Among the wineries which reportedly suffered damage were William Hill Estate Winery in Napa, Signorello Vineyards, Stags' Leap and Chimney Rock. Maureen Fairchild, a nurse, was working at a hospital in Marin County where some of the evacuees were brought. "I was working in a memory-impaired unit," Fairchild told AFP. "We had all these people who were already confused and now they were in an unfamiliar place with all this frenzy going on around them." Kris Hammar, who lives in Santa Rosa on the edge of a mandatory evacuation zone, had not yet evacuated but was monitoring maps, wind direction, and fire updates to see if she and her family should bolt. "The fire is close, very close," Hammer said. "Everything is in the car, and we are checking constantly to see if anything has changed." Troy Newton, 46, a Sonoma County sheriff's detective, was among those who fled Santa Rosa. Newton told The Los Angeles Times he was returning home when he saw a "growing red snake" of fire. "I ran into my house and told my wife to get our four-year-old boy ready to leave," Newton said, before raising the alarm for around 40 neighbors. "It was boom, boom, boom. Ring the door bell. Boom, boom -- until someone inside got the message," he said. Pacific Gas & Electric said more than 196,000 customers had initially lost electricity although half had had their power restored. Governor Brown in April declared the official end of the state's drought that lasted more than five years. But California is still dealing with the Santa Ana winds, a meteorological phenomenon which brings dry winds down from the high mountains east of the coastal areas -- a recipe for perfect wildfire conditions. Forest fires are common in the western United States during dry, hot summer months. Last month, a massive fire described as the biggest in the history of Los Angeles forced hundreds to evacuate their homes.

15 dead as wildfires torch California wine country

A spate of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/california-wildfire-burns-11000-acres-prompts-evacuations-551" target="_blank">wildfires fanned by strong winds swept through northern California&#39;s wine country</a> on Monday, leaving at least 10 people dead, destroying hundreds of homes and businesses and chasing some 20,000 people from their dwellings.

Governor Jerry Brown declared<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/firefighters-battle-spreading-wildfire-near-athens-18983" target="_blank"> a state of emergency for Napa, Sonoma and Yuba counties,</a> encompassing some of the state&#39;s prime wine-making areas, as the blazes raged unchecked and engulfed the region in thick, billowing smoke that drifted south into the San Francisco Bay area.

He later extended the declaration to include four more northern California counties and Orange County in Southern California.

Sonoma County bore the brunt of the fatalities, with seven fire-related deaths confirmed there, according to the sheriff&#39;s department. Two others died in Napa County and one more in Mendocino County, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire).

Details on the circumstances of those deaths were not immediately available from either CalFire or local officials. But KGO-TV in San Francisco, citing unnamed California Highway Patrol officials, described one of the victims as a blind, elderly woman found dead in the driveway of her home in Santa Rosa, a town in Sonoma County.

Two hospitals were forced to evacuate in Sonoma County, state officials said.

Thousands of firefighters battled wind gusts in excess of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) that have rapidly spread 15 separate wildfires across some 73,000 acres in northern California since erupting late Sunday night, according to CalFire spokesman Daniel Berlant.

About 1,500 homes and commercial buildings have been destroyed throughout the region, Ken Pimlott, director of CalFire, said at a news conference.

A separate wildfire on Monday torched at least a half-dozen homes in the affluent Anaheim Hills neighborhood of Southern California&#39;s Orange County, prompting evacuations there, authorities said.

The cause of the fires have yet to be determined, officials said.

Some 20,000 people have had to evacuate their homes

A spate of wildfires fanned by strong winds swept through northern California's wine country on Monday, leaving at least 10 people dead, destroying hundreds of homes and businesses and chasing some 20,000 people from their dwellings. Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for Napa, Sonoma and Yuba counties, encompassing some of the state's prime wine-making areas, as the blazes raged unchecked and engulfed the region in thick, billowing smoke that drifted south into the San Francisco Bay area. He later extended the declaration to include four more northern California counties and Orange County in Southern California. Sonoma County bore the brunt of the fatalities, with seven fire-related deaths confirmed there, according to the sheriff's department. Two others died in Napa County and one more in Mendocino County, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire). Details on the circumstances of those deaths were not immediately available from either CalFire or local officials. But KGO-TV in San Francisco, citing unnamed California Highway Patrol officials, described one of the victims as a blind, elderly woman found dead in the driveway of her home in Santa Rosa, a town in Sonoma County. Two hospitals were forced to evacuate in Sonoma County, state officials said. Thousands of firefighters battled wind gusts in excess of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) that have rapidly spread 15 separate wildfires across some 73,000 acres in northern California since erupting late Sunday night, according to CalFire spokesman Daniel Berlant. About 1,500 homes and commercial buildings have been destroyed throughout the region, Ken Pimlott, director of CalFire, said at a news conference. A separate wildfire on Monday torched at least a half-dozen homes in the affluent Anaheim Hills neighborhood of Southern California's Orange County, prompting evacuations there, authorities said. The cause of the fires have yet to be determined, officials said.

Wildfires kill 10 in California

The Soberanes Fire continued on Wednesday (July 27) to threaten some 2,000 properties after destroying 20 homes on Sunday in an area between Big Sur and the scenic coastal town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, officials said. 
 
Firefighters were informed about the death of the bulldozer operator, which occurred overnight&nbsp;before they headed out early on Wednesday 
 
Officials said the bulldozer overturned and that the operator was a private contractor. A second bulldozer also overturned while battling the flames, but that operator was uninjured, officials said. 
 
The Soberanes Fire has scorched more than 23,500 acres (9,510 hectares) at the edge of the Los Padres National Forest since breaking out on Friday and some 3,080 firefighters had the blaze about 10 per cent contained on Wednesday, officials said. 
 
The Soberanes Fire is approximately 300 miles (480 km) to the north of the so-called Sand Fire in the Angeles National Forest, of which 40 per cent of the 38,350-acre (15,520 hectare) blaze had been contained by Wednesday morning. 
 
(Reuters)

The fire has scorched more than 23,500 acres at the edge of the Los Padres National Forest since breaking out on Friday

The Soberanes Fire continued on Wednesday (July 27) to threaten some 2,000 properties after destroying 20 homes on Sunday in an area between Big Sur and the scenic coastal town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, officials said. Firefighters were informed about the death of the bulldozer operator, which occurred overnight before they headed out early on Wednesday Officials said the bulldozer overturned and that the operator was a private contractor. A second bulldozer also overturned while battling the flames, but that operator was uninjured, officials said. The Soberanes Fire has scorched more than 23,500 acres (9,510 hectares) at the edge of the Los Padres National Forest since breaking out on Friday and some 3,080 firefighters had the blaze about 10 per cent contained on Wednesday, officials said. The Soberanes Fire is approximately 300 miles (480 km) to the north of the so-called Sand Fire in the Angeles National Forest, of which 40 per cent of the 38,350-acre (15,520 hectare) blaze had been contained by Wednesday morning. (Reuters)

Bulldozer operator killed as California wildfires continue to rage

At least two people have died in a fire in central California that has destroyed 100 structures and prompted the governor to declare a state of emergency, officials said on Friday. 
 
The fast-moving blaze that erupted late on Thursday afternoon in the Lake Isabella area of Kern County had spread to about 30,000 acres by Friday afternoon and was five per cent contained, authorities said 
 
The Kern County Fire Department confirmed the two fatalities in a message on Twitter but provided no further details. 
 
It said firefighters were dealing with strong winds that were fanning the so-called Erskine fire - located three hours north of Los Angeles. 
 
Governor Jerry Brown issued a state of emergency for the region, allowing aid to be deployed more quickly. 
 
&quot;Anne and I extend our heartfelt sympathies to everyone impacted by this destructive blaze,&quot; the governor said in a statement, referring to his wife. 
 
&quot;We join all Californians in expressing our gratitude to the courageous firefighters, emergency personnel and volunteers working tirelessly throughout Kern County to help residents and extinguish this fire.&quot; 
 
Local media said 80 homes had been destroyed by the flames, which quickly went out of control and that number was likely to grow. 
 
Thousands of residents have also been evacuated. 
 
&quot;This fire ... it exploded. It went from 2 to thousands of acres within hours,&quot; county fire captain Tyler Townsend told reporters. 
 
Fire officials said some 800 firefighters were battling the blaze and several hundred more were on the way. 
 
&quot;The mountainous terrain, five years of drought and wind gusts ...drove a fire over 11 miles in 13 hours,&quot; said county fire Chief Brian Marshall, quoted by KTLA. 
 
&quot;Our firefighters have been engaged in a firefight of epic proportions, trying to save every structure possible.&quot; 
 
Authorities closed several highways and evacuated two schools and a retirement home in the agricultural and oil region after the blaze started due to unknown causes. 
 
California is experiencing a record five-year drought and trees and brush are at risk of igniting from the smallest spark. 
 
Temperatures that climbed to more than 40 degrees Celsius earlier this week increased the risk of fire. 
 
More than 14 large fires are currently raging in the United States, mostly in the southwest, where a record heat wave left at least five dead last Sunday. 
 
(AFP)

Authorities said conflagration has spread to about 30,000 acres, is only 5% contained so far

At least two people have died in a fire in central California that has destroyed 100 structures and prompted the governor to declare a state of emergency, officials said on Friday. The fast-moving blaze that erupted late on Thursday afternoon in the Lake Isabella area of Kern County had spread to about 30,000 acres by Friday afternoon and was five per cent contained, authorities said The Kern County Fire Department confirmed the two fatalities in a message on Twitter but provided no further details. It said firefighters were dealing with strong winds that were fanning the so-called Erskine fire - located three hours north of Los Angeles. Governor Jerry Brown issued a state of emergency for the region, allowing aid to be deployed more quickly. "Anne and I extend our heartfelt sympathies to everyone impacted by this destructive blaze," the governor said in a statement, referring to his wife. "We join all Californians in expressing our gratitude to the courageous firefighters, emergency personnel and volunteers working tirelessly throughout Kern County to help residents and extinguish this fire." Local media said 80 homes had been destroyed by the flames, which quickly went out of control and that number was likely to grow. Thousands of residents have also been evacuated. "This fire ... it exploded. It went from 2 to thousands of acres within hours," county fire captain Tyler Townsend told reporters. Fire officials said some 800 firefighters were battling the blaze and several hundred more were on the way. "The mountainous terrain, five years of drought and wind gusts ...drove a fire over 11 miles in 13 hours," said county fire Chief Brian Marshall, quoted by KTLA. "Our firefighters have been engaged in a firefight of epic proportions, trying to save every structure possible." Authorities closed several highways and evacuated two schools and a retirement home in the agricultural and oil region after the blaze started due to unknown causes. California is experiencing a record five-year drought and trees and brush are at risk of igniting from the smallest spark. Temperatures that climbed to more than 40 degrees Celsius earlier this week increased the risk of fire. More than 14 large fires are currently raging in the United States, mostly in the southwest, where a record heat wave left at least five dead last Sunday. (AFP)

Two die in central California wildfire

At least four people, including a German man, have died from the blistering heat that has gripped the western United States and sparked wildfires and evacuations across the region, authorities said Monday. 
 
Three hikers and a mountain biker succumbed to the heatwave in Arizona on Sunday, where record-breaking temperatures were reported in some areas. 
 
Larry Subervi, spokesman for the Phoenix fire department, said one of the victims was an experienced 28-year-old female mountain biker who had embarked on a two-and-a-half-hour ride in the Phoenix area with enough water but got overwhelmed by the heat. 
 
Three other people reportedly died in the Tucson area, including a 57-year-old German national - identified as Stefan Guenster - who was hiking with two other fellow Germans on the Ventana Trail early on Sunday 
 
The Pima County Sheriff&#39;s Department, located in Tucson, said one of the men was able to make it down the trail to get help. 
 
Rescuers found Guenster dead near the trail and the third man, identified as 33-year-old Marcus Turowski, is still missing. 
 
The other victim was identified as a 54-year-old woman who went for a walk along a path known as The Loop and was found dead after her husband reported her missing. 
 
&quot;We have a heatwave every year, but we are close to our all-time record in 1990 of 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 Celsius),&quot; Subervi told AFP. 
 
He said temperatures on Sunday had soared to 48.8 degrees Celsius and the crushing heat continued on Monday, setting records in many areas of Arizona and southern California. Temperatures were expected to ease from Tuesday. 
 
The heatwave has fed wildfires in California, New Mexico and Arizona, forcing evacuations in some areas. 
 
Two fast-moving brush fires tore through 1,416 hectares in the San Gabriel Mountains east of Los Angeles on Monday, prompting some 600 households to be evacuated, officials said. 
 
&#39;Steep terrain, heavy vegetation&#39; 
 
Fire officials said hundreds of firefighters were battling the flames in the foothills above Azusa and Duarte, aided by water-dropping helicopters. 
 
&quot;The fire is burning in very, very steep terrain with very heavy vegetation,&quot; said Robert Garcia, the fire chief at Angeles National Forest, referring to the initial blaze - dubbed the Reservoir Fire - north of Azusa. 
 
He said that fire was sparked by a fatal car crash. 
 
The second blaze - dubbed the Fish Fire - erupted about four miles away in Duarte and quickly roared into the foothills, triggering evacuations and threatening some homes before moving in a different direction. 
 
Fire officials said residents of nearby communities should be ready to evacuate in case the flames gain ground during the evening. 
 
&quot;There are a lot of open flanks of the fire that tonight, if we get (winds), we could have more evacuations,&quot; said John Tripp, deputy chief of the Los Angeles County fire department. 
 
Fire officials said a canyon separated the two fires but there were fears they could merge into a huge inferno. 
 
Further north, in the Santa Barbara area of California, some 2,000 firefighters for several days have been battling the so-called Sherpa fire that has already burned nearly 3,200 hectares and prompted the evacuation of 140 households. 
 
In New Mexico, the Dog Head fire about 48 kilometers south of Albuquerque has also damaged two dozen homes and scorched nearly 18,000 acres, officials said. 
 
They said that as of Monday, only nine per cent of the fire had been contained. 
 
Another fire caused by lightning near Cibola National Forest, in New Mexico, has eaten up more than 36,000 acres and was 30 per cent contained. 
 
The fire, which started on May 21, was expected to be contained by late July. 
(AFP)

The heatwave has fed wildfires in California, New Mexico and Arizona, forcing evacuations in some areas

At least four people, including a German man, have died from the blistering heat that has gripped the western United States and sparked wildfires and evacuations across the region, authorities said Monday. Three hikers and a mountain biker succumbed to the heatwave in Arizona on Sunday, where record-breaking temperatures were reported in some areas. Larry Subervi, spokesman for the Phoenix fire department, said one of the victims was an experienced 28-year-old female mountain biker who had embarked on a two-and-a-half-hour ride in the Phoenix area with enough water but got overwhelmed by the heat. Three other people reportedly died in the Tucson area, including a 57-year-old German national - identified as Stefan Guenster - who was hiking with two other fellow Germans on the Ventana Trail early on Sunday The Pima County Sheriff's Department, located in Tucson, said one of the men was able to make it down the trail to get help. Rescuers found Guenster dead near the trail and the third man, identified as 33-year-old Marcus Turowski, is still missing. The other victim was identified as a 54-year-old woman who went for a walk along a path known as The Loop and was found dead after her husband reported her missing. "We have a heatwave every year, but we are close to our all-time record in 1990 of 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 Celsius)," Subervi told AFP. He said temperatures on Sunday had soared to 48.8 degrees Celsius and the crushing heat continued on Monday, setting records in many areas of Arizona and southern California. Temperatures were expected to ease from Tuesday. The heatwave has fed wildfires in California, New Mexico and Arizona, forcing evacuations in some areas. Two fast-moving brush fires tore through 1,416 hectares in the San Gabriel Mountains east of Los Angeles on Monday, prompting some 600 households to be evacuated, officials said. 'Steep terrain, heavy vegetation' Fire officials said hundreds of firefighters were battling the flames in the foothills above Azusa and Duarte, aided by water-dropping helicopters. "The fire is burning in very, very steep terrain with very heavy vegetation," said Robert Garcia, the fire chief at Angeles National Forest, referring to the initial blaze - dubbed the Reservoir Fire - north of Azusa. He said that fire was sparked by a fatal car crash. The second blaze - dubbed the Fish Fire - erupted about four miles away in Duarte and quickly roared into the foothills, triggering evacuations and threatening some homes before moving in a different direction. Fire officials said residents of nearby communities should be ready to evacuate in case the flames gain ground during the evening. "There are a lot of open flanks of the fire that tonight, if we get (winds), we could have more evacuations," said John Tripp, deputy chief of the Los Angeles County fire department. Fire officials said a canyon separated the two fires but there were fears they could merge into a huge inferno. Further north, in the Santa Barbara area of California, some 2,000 firefighters for several days have been battling the so-called Sherpa fire that has already burned nearly 3,200 hectares and prompted the evacuation of 140 households. In New Mexico, the Dog Head fire about 48 kilometers south of Albuquerque has also damaged two dozen homes and scorched nearly 18,000 acres, officials said. They said that as of Monday, only nine per cent of the fire had been contained. Another fire caused by lightning near Cibola National Forest, in New Mexico, has eaten up more than 36,000 acres and was 30 per cent contained. The fire, which started on May 21, was expected to be contained by late July. (AFP)

Four, including German national, die in US heatwave

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