Dying winds give crews hope in Northern California fires
A wildfire burning farther north in rural Shasta County has destroyed another 146 buildings. The National Weather Service warned that hot, dry conditions with strong Santa Ana winds could continue posing a fire danger in Southern California through Tuesday afternoon. Three people have died in the fire, Shasta County Sheriff Eric Magrini said Monday. Residences are widely scattered in Shasta County, which was torched just two years ago by the deadly Carr Fire โ infamously remembered for producing a huge tornado-like fire whirl. The fires came as the region approaches the anniversary of the 2017 fires, including one that killed 22 people.
3 killed in Northern California wildfire; thousands flee
In Sonoma County, residents of the Oakmont Gardens senior living facility in Santa Rosa boarded brightly lit city buses in the darkness overnight, some wearing bathrobes and using walkers. More than 1,200 people were also evacuated in Shasta County for the Zogg Fire, spread over 23 square miles (59 square kilometers) by Monday. So far in this year's historic fire season, more than 8,100 California wildfires have now killed 29 people, scorched 5,780 square miles (14,970 square kilometers), and destroyed more than 7,000 buildings. Fire worries were developing across Southern California, although it was unclear how strong the predicted Santa Ana winds would become. Conditions were also hot, dry and windy in parts of Arizona, where the Sears Fire in Tonto National Forest north of Phoenix has grown to more than 14 square miles (36 square kilometers) since it erupted Friday.