As another series of wildfires spread rapidly through California, more than 20 million people in the state are under red flag warnings Friday.
The Camp Fire in the northern part of the state has burned through 100,000 acres, while the Woolsey Fire in Los Angeles and Ventura counties quadrupled in size overnight. Meanwhile, the Hill Fire, located just down the road from the Thousand Oaks bar where 12 people were killed earlier this week in a mass shooting, has topped 10,000 acres.
Here’s the latest on each of the California wildfires:
Camp Fire
Fire officials have issued evacuation orders for homes in areas of Chico, Calif., which has a population of roughly 93,000 people. (Chico is about 90 miles north of Sacramento.) 35 mph winds are hampering efforts to contain the blaze, which has already destroyed the town of Paradise, burning more than 6,000 homes in total and the town hospital. All totaled, 52,000 people have been evacuated from the path of the wildfire so far.
At least nine people were killed in the fire and three firefighters were injured battling the blaze.
Nearly 2,300 fire personnel are battling the blaze.
Heart-stopping, dramatic footage of a resident attempting to escape the #CampFire. pic.twitter.com/TjEPNxEErV
— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) November 8, 2018
#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
https://twitter.com/KCRAMax/status/1060613523426881543
Woolsey Fire
While not as big as the Camp Fire, the Woolsey Fire, which currently measures approximately 35,000 acres, is in a much more densely populated area.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department has issued mandatory evacuation orders south of the 101 freeway to Mulholland Highway.
Early Friday morning, the wildfire jumped the 101 in Ventura County into Agoura Hills, closing a 4-mile stretch of the highway. Forecasters expect things to get worse today, as wind gusts will come close to 60 mph amid very dry conditions.
As of 5:30 a.m. ET, the fire was 0% contained. Nearly 150,000 homes are under evacuation orders.
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
#WoolseyFire right before we were evacuated pic.twitter.com/z81Ms2RKx0
— mar (@missmariiss) November 9, 2018
https://twitter.com/thesandmasta/status/1060672110949888001
Hill Fire
With the area still reeling from the shooting at the Thousand Oaks bar, the Hill fire has spread to 10,000 acres, quickly shutting down the 101 Freeway.
News from official sources on this fire is not as readily available, but social media is filled with scary scenes.
https://twitter.com/AndrewBartosik/status/1060900649192189952
#HillFire Arrived pic.twitter.com/h7QcdTHUu2
— Jeff Griffith (@JeffGriffith38) November 9, 2018
https://twitter.com/AndrewBartosik/status/1060897932814086144
