Over 130,000 Hectares Burned in Widespread California Wildfire

A wildfire in the state of California, USA, which started a few days ago due to lightning, spread on Monday due to warm winds. CNN reports, citing the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, that about 10,000 firefighters are currently working to control 21 wildfires in various regions of the state. The largest of these fires, known as the 'Rocky Fire,' has burned over 54,000 hectares so far. According to fire department officials, the extent of the wildfire has increased on Sunday evening and Monday morning due to this year's widespread drought in California. This wildfire has particularly spread in the northwest of Sacramento, and fire officials report that about 12,000 people have been forced to evacuate the area or are on standby to leave their homes. In this region alone, more than 2,000 firefighters, 180 vehicles, four aircraft, and 19 helicopters are involved in firefighting operations. According to California fire and forestry officials, over 130,000 hectares of land have burned across the state. NBC News reports that the occurrence of lightning in the area has exacerbated the problem. In recent days, thousands of lightning strikes have occurred in northern California, causing many small fires. Meanwhile, due to the strong winds accompanying these lightning strikes, there has been little rainfall. Throughout much of California, warm seasonal winds will continue on Monday, increasing the risk of the wildfire spreading. Firefighters can usually make progress in controlling fires at night as humidity increases and fire activity decreases. However, fire officials state that in this specific case, the situation has been different, and the fire's activity did not decrease at night. So far, one firefighter has lost their life. Due to this wildfire, which local officials say is unprecedented, more than 20 homes have been destroyed, and the risk of its spread threatens several thousand more homes. Forestry and fire department officials across the state have declared a state of readiness, stating that in the current weather conditions and this year's dry climate, any small spark can turn into a large wildfire.