The Governor of the State of California, Jerry Brown, has declared a state of emergency in at least two counties in the northern portion of the sunshine state as wildfires threaten to destroy thousands of homes.
The counties in question - Siksiyou and El Dorado - are reported to have been in a dire crisis this week as firefighters struggled to contain the infernos.
In El Dorado Couty, local sources say the sprawling flame, known as the King fire, quickly extended its blazing fury to literally thousands of acres in only a few hours between Wednesday and Thursday night. Police officers are said to have attempted to evacuate homes in the area. Reports indicate that more than 3,000 firefighters were assigned to take-on the fire. A few hours ago, officials revealed that the fire, which covers more than 70,000 acres, is about 5% contained.
Meanwhile, a similar fire Sisikyou County since the beginning of the week is reported to have destroyed about 150 homes and other buildings. Reports indicate that firefighters only managed to control the blaze, which are known as the Bole fire, on Thursday - about four days after it was ignited. Currently, officials say the 375 acres wide fire is 65% contained.
Also, in Mandera County, another wildfire has torn through more than 300 acres and damaged nearly 40 buildings. Officials however say firefighters have been able to bring it 70% under control.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has on Wednesday approved the state's request for financial aid to cover the cost of fighting the outbreak of wildfires. Since the beginning of the year, California has suffered from a series of deadly fires. Some pundits estimate that over there have been over one hundred wildfires in the state this year alone.
One of the worst of these outbreaks in August - the Happy Camp Complex fire - is reported to have covered more than 125,000 acres.
During its dry season, California is highly susceptible to wildfires. Although these fires are usually natural hazards, reports indicate that the role of humans in precipitating such outbreaks is marked.
In his statement on the issue, Gov. Brown relayed his sympathies to the victims of the fires, noting that "The wildfires in Northern California serve as a reminder that dry conditions can be the precursor to devastating loss."
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