© Noah Berger / APA firefighter battles the Mosquito Fire in Placer County, Calif., on Wednesday.
More than 8,300 firefighters are working to contain the fires across the state, but they are bracing for more potential significant wildfires because of coming critical fire weather. So far this year, 325,083 acres have burned in California, according to the fire summary.
Potential critical fire weather includes a high risk for lightning in Northern California "in eastern areas on Sunday combined with very flammable fuels," it said. Breezy west and southwest winds at 25 to 35 mph will also develop through the San Francisco Bay Area coastal gaps, and south to southeast winds of 15 to 25 mph will extend up to the Sacramento Valley.
Isolated thunderstorms may also develop around the Lake Tahoe Basin on Sunday afternoon, according to the fire summary.
The Mosquito Fire, which has consumed 41,443 acres, is 10% contained, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, said on Twitter. The Fairview Fire has consumed 28,307 acres and is 45% contained. Both fires continue to threaten communities, structures, critical infrastructure and wildlife.
© Patrick T. FallonCal Fire firefighters turn away from the fire to watch for stray embers during an operation to build a line to contain the Fairview Fire near Hemet, Calif., on Thursday.
On Saturday, red flag warnings were in place for many parts of the Northwest because of extreme fire weather conditions, as well, including Seattle and Tacoma in Washington and Bend and Portland in Oregon.
Oregon's Cedar Creek Fire has grown to 85,926 acres with 0% containment because of the weekend's weather conditions, the Oregon fire marshal's office said in a news release.
A level 3 evacuation is in place for "2,230 homes and 443 commercial structures" that are under threat by the fire, the release said. The state fire marshal "has committed seven task forces and an incident management team to protect homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure in the area."
Reader Comments
Mosquitos that bite are one of the species that I have absolutely no respect for - in fact quite the opposite - for example if you can catch them without destroying their ability to fly it's fun to pinch off their proboscis and release them. I call it defusing.