California wildfires burn 1.25 million acres, weather conditions improve

Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Wildfires in California have burned more than 1.25 million acres, state fire officials said Tuesday, as they expect favorable weather conditions to aid containment efforts.

Some 650 fires have been sparked by more than 13,000 lightning strikes across the state in recent weeks, including 233 strikes within the past 24 hours. The blazes have killed seven people and destroyed more than 1,400 structures.

"Overall weather conditions have improved compared to last week," the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in an update on Tuesday. "While firefighters braced for another round of thunderstorms Sunday through Monday, lightning activity was relatively low."

More than 14,000 fire personnel have been deployed to combat the blazes and Cal Fire operations section Chief Mark Brunton said that the weather has been "really cooperating" with them as of Tuesday.

"We are steadily getting a trickle of resources in and putting them to work," said Brunton.

Cal Fire said that the LNU Lightning Complex Fire, the most destructive of the current fires, has burned 352,913 acres in Northern California and was 29% contained as of Tuesday.

The blaze, which is also the third largest in the state's history, has resulted in five deaths and four injuries, destroyed 937 structures, and damaged 251 more.

The SCU Lightning Complex, the second largest fire in California's history, has burned 363,772 acres in Southern California and is 15% contained.

It has resulted in five injuries, destroyed 18 structures and damaged six more.

Meanwhile, the CZU August Lightning Fire has burned 78,869 acres in Central California, destroying 330 structures and resulting in one death, and the BTU/TGU Lightning Complex Fire has burned 53,443 acres in Northern California, destroying two structures and resulting in one injury.