7 dead as fire crews struggle to control 625 California wildfires

Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Seven people have died as more than 625 wildfires rage in California, burning about 1.4 million acres of land so far, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday.

Newsom called the number and intensity of this year's wildfires historic, pointing out that more than 7,000 wildfires have broken out in the state so far in 2020, when at this time last year about 4,300 fires had burned about 56,000 acres.

More than 289 lightning strikes caused 10 new fires within 24 hours, Monday, but firefighters are making some progress toward containment, Newsom said.

The Lake Fire, near Los Angeles, is 62% contained, having burned about 31,000 acres. The Loyalton Fire is 93% contained after burning 47,000 acres near the Nevada border and Reno. The Holser Canyon fire in Ventura County is 80% contained and the Ranch fire is also more than 80 percent contained he said.

"It's a testament to all the incredible firefighters out there on the front lines," Newsom said.

In Northern California, lightning has increased the number and intensities of wildfires. More than 15,000 firefighters are battling some of the state's biggest blazes.

The LNU Lightning Complex fire, the most destructive so far, is burning in wine country north of San Francisco. The CZU Lightning Complex fire is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains south of the city and the SCU Lightning Complex fire is burning east of San Jose.

The LNU and SCU fires are the second- and third-largest in California history, respectively.

The LNU fire has so far burned 350,000 acres, while the SCU blaze has burned about 344,000 acres, Cal Fire said in an update Monday. Containment is at 21% for the LNU fire and 10% for the SCU fire, according to Cal Fire.

The SCU fire prompted nearly 80,000 Bay Area residents to evacuate.

"I'm nervous. I don't want to lose my home but our lives are more important," evacuee Penny Furusho told KPIX-TV.

Weather officials said the San Francisco Bay Area escaped greater damage when expected dry lightning storms failed to materialize.

Residents of San Francisco, Oakland and surrounding cities had feared that lightning strikes and thunderstorms forecast for late Sunday would cause even more harm in the region.

The heaviest storms bypassed the Bay Area and instead targeted California's Central Valley and the Sierra Nevada Mountains, with the Lake Tahoe area seeing strong winds early Monday, the National Weather Service reported.

"Most of the Bay Area dodged a bullet," NWS meteorologist Roger Gass told The San Francisco Chronicle.

Monday's forecast for the Bay Area calls for a chance of isolated thunderstorms and temperatures in the 70s.

The CZU complex fire has burned 74,000 acres and is 8% contained.