WEB DESK
In United States, hundreds of firefighters in California are battling the largest wildfire to spread in the state so far this year. The state’s fire service in a statement said, the McKinney Fire, which started in the northern Siskiyou county on Friday, has already burnt 21,000 hectares. Local authorities said that at least 2,000 residents as well as trekkers on the Pacific Crest hiking trail have left the area. Homes have been destroyed.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said, a state of emergency was declared in Siskiyou county on Saturday, after homes were destroyed and infrastructure was threatened. A red flag warning indicating the threat of dangerous fire conditions is in place, as California suffers from persistent drought conditions.
Authorities also warn that possible thunderstorms could result in more fires developing in the coming days.
The US Forest Service warned that conditions could be extremely dangerous for firefighters, as winds can be erratic and extremely strong causing the fire to spread in any direction.
California, which is facing serious drought conditions, still has months of its fire season ahead.