Wildfires rage across Northern California amid record heat and lightning strikes

Thousands of people in California are under evacuation orders as dozens of major wildfires continued to ravage parts of the state on Wednesday with an unrelenting heatwave and high winds making firefighting conditions difficult.

Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency during evacuations and rolling blackouts and called on the California National Guard to help with relief efforts. Authorities in Sonoma County warned of an “immediate threat to life” from the ongoing fires.

By Wednesday morning, residents in parts of Northern California including Napa and Sonoma Counties, San Mateo and Santa Cruz were under urgent evacuations. The LNU Lightning Complex Fire has burned 32,000 acres in Sonoma, Lake, Napa and Solano Counties and has destroyed some homes.

The more than two dozen major fires raging across the state are made worse by an extreme heat wave that started over the weekend. It recently set a temperature of 130 degrees Fahrenheit in California’s Death Valley, the hottest U.S. temperature in at least 107 years.

The extreme heat and dryness are driven by a heat dome, or a high pressure system that pushes down air from above, which then compresses and heats up near land. Heat domes are likely to be more severe as the climate changes.


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[doveandiamond]

The sun is bright red and there’s ashes raining from the sky. Welcome to wine country

[mrshiruthseyoum]

Praying for California. Love 💕 from Ethiopia

[Smokeywithazed]

In SoCal it’s been over 93 degrees for the past week, the smell of smoke is strong outside, and we’re getting rolling blackouts every couple of days

[baine.]

We are surrounded by fires it's why the sky looks so red

[lauracampbell]

Many prayers and much love to folks fighting head fires and the people affected 😥❤️

[v]

Lets pray for the people living there, and for the firefighters 🙏

[AbirHasnat]

I am just bored of 2020s same disasters again and again, Want alien invasions now.

[bobobo]

this literally looks like what I imagine hell to look like

[markrenton]

We had 15 tornadoes in the MidWest, I will take them over fires any day.

[nenaradicevic]

So sad Napa So many people lost homes and as always brave Firefighters Heroes ! Take care

[chrystallee]

My home state is ablaze again.
God, please send Cali some rain.😥

[mrbro]

People never learn year after year... Just cause those who have money doesn't mean they're safe from the wrath of natural disasters.

[kimberlyirving]

That's so horrible. I hope they can get a hold of it.

[sandys]

My heart goes out to everyone who has been affected by this fire. Remembering Paradise and watching this video brings tears to my eyes that we may see another community be destroyed by wildfires.

[kekedream]

The Great Mother is fighting back. Next year will not be better.

[leekrd]

I’m hopeful Newsoms winery’s will feel the heat.

[devioustea]

Here we go again. 2020 is one of the worst years ever

[pixeladventurer]

I’m a Californian, and believe me, it’s really bad over here right now.

[badmanluton]

Hell is displayed on earth for those who disbelieve in the signs of their lord

[small_ed]

Anyone think that there's actually the slightest chance of this now annual premeditated event in N. Cal not being manipulated by geoterrorists?