Aug. 30 (UPI) — Two of the sprawling complex fires burning in northern California were about 50% contained on Sunday, fire officials said.
Firefighters have made progress containing more than 840 wildfires that have burned 1.42 million acres since a lightning siege of more than 14,000 lightning strikes struck the state beginning on Aug. 15, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in its daily update.
A total of seven deaths, including a helicopter pilot battling the Hills fire, have been reported,2,500 buildings have been destroyed and more than 60,000 people have been evacuated.
The LNU Lightning Complex, the most destructive of the fires, was 56% contained and hs burned 375,209 acres in Napa, Sonoma, Lake, Yolo and Solano counties, Cal Fire said on Sunday.
The fire has resulted in five deaths and four injuries while destroying 1,209 structures and damaging 193 more.
The largest of the wildfires, the SCU Lightning Complex, reached 50% containment Sunday as it burned 377,471 acres in Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties.
The blaze has resulted in five injuries, destroyed 53 structures and damaged nine more.
The 84,640-acre CZU Lightning fire, was 35% contained in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties and has resulted in one fatality and one injury in addition to destroying 1,177 structures and damaging 125 more.
Cal Fire also said that the BTU/TGU Lightning Complex fire in Butte, Tehama and Glenn counties has burned 58,654 acres at 39% containment.
It has resulted in one injury, destroyed two structures and damaged one other.
