Overnight, three rapid-moving fires
spreading across California have destroyed thousands of structures and forced
the evacuation of an estimated 157,000 people. Forecasts predict continued
windy and dry conditions through the weekend, particularly in the northern part
of the state, paired with low humidity, a lack of precipitation, and dry
vegetation, which are expected to make fire danger worse in some of
California’s most populated areas.
In the northern part of the state, at
least five people have been found dead in scorched cars after having tried to
flee the disastrous Camp Fire burning about 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of
the state capitol. A list compiled by a local news affiliate reports a growing
number of missing people after nearly the entire town of Paradise, population
roughly 30,000, has been destroyed. Burning at a rate of roughly 80 football
fields per minute, county officials have declared a State of Emergency as
CalFire reports some 70,000 acres have burned with just 5 percent of the fire
contained. Additionally, at least 2,000 structures have been destroyed, while
15,000 remain threatened, filling shelters and closing roads across the area.
Thousands of firefighters are battling the flames.
Toxic smoke is reported as far as 240
kilometers (150 miles) away, shrouding the San Francisco Bay Area and our
office located there. Millions of Californians remain under a “red flag”
warning for conditions both ripe for fires and unhealthy air conditions.
Hot spots and a large plume of smoke from the #CampFire in Northern California are even visible from space! To make this #GOESEast animation, fire temperature imagery was made partially transparent and placed over the geocolor image. More: https://t.co/LCFx9nf87l pic.twitter.com/ml7yZsRm6B— NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) November 9, 2018
Meanwhile, two wildfires burning near
Los Angeles have forced thousands more to evacuate, including the entire city
of Malibu.
Burning at more than 10,000 acres,
Woolsey Fire jumped a major highway overnight and remains 0 percent contained.
No fire-related injuries or fatalities have been reported as of yet, but winds
expected to reach 112 kilometers per hour (70 mph) could help the fire continue
to spread. The nearby Hill Fire ignited around the same time and has since
grown to 6,100 acres. Also at 0 percent contained, authorities say flames could
continue to blaze all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
Given the fires’ rapid movement and
volatile conditions, The Los Angeles Times is maintaining a live feed with the
most current data available. Dozens of other news publications have taken to
Twitter to show the harrowing conditions residents are seeing as they flee.
TERRIFYING: Video shows a car surrounded by flames as a family attempts to flee the California "Camp Fire" Thursday morning. The family made it out of the blaze safely, but their home has been destroyed. https://t.co/WM6bBIlrfe pic.twitter.com/ftAy8ObxVT— CBS News (@CBSNews) November 9, 2018
Apocalypse-like conditions are
apparent, with black smoke and flames burning on either side of roads, while
cars and entire neighborhoods are burning to the ground.
#DEVELOPING From a safe distance...just shot this video of a #FireDevil at the #Campfire near #Paradise. #abc7now @LiveDoppler7 pic.twitter.com/jS5WBsvcnV— Laura Anthony (@LauraAnthony7) November 9, 2018
🇺🇸 Fast-moving fire scorches northern California #AFP https://t.co/P6kRGlAXrz— AFP Photo (@AFPphoto) November 9, 2018
📸 @JoshEdelson pic.twitter.com/fsvmpZq6oA
Firefight continues in some parts of Paradise. The Atria retirement home is among at least 2000 structures destroyed so far in the #CampFire. pic.twitter.com/czQeoDkzWX— Kurtis Alexander (@kurtisalexander) November 9, 2018
Nearly the entire town of Paradise
was destroyed in the Camp Fire.
Three massive wildfires — Camp, Woolsey and Hill fires — are raging across California. The Camp Fire is moving particularly fast, burning at a rate of about 80 football fields per minute.— CNN (@CNN) November 9, 2018
Follow for live updates throughout the day: https://t.co/qwvbAPjcFH pic.twitter.com/u0L4ipOtbb
Toxic smoke and hazardous air quality
conditions are impacting much of the state, including our San Francisco Office.
my dad just sent me this from Paradise, said he could hear people’s propane tanks blowing up all over town. this does not look good at all, please keep Paradise & all the first responders in your prayers everyone 😓❤️❤️ #CampFire pic.twitter.com/3gyOSBuf17— moe (@masonmorgann13) November 8, 2018
Southern California is reeling from
the impact of two fires burning near some of the country's most populated
cities.
Fire has jumped the 101 freeway at Liberty Canyon and is well established on the south side of the freeway.Avoid 101 of commuting, large back-ups behind closure pic.twitter.com/1BbrDUPgSj— VCFD PIO (@VCFD_PIO) November 9, 2018
PHOTOS: Woolsey Fire, Hill Fire burn through Southern California https://t.co/w70KAkLQDi pic.twitter.com/iM1EZBWYfD— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) November 9, 2018
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