Oct. 4 (UPI) — Wildfires throughout the state of California have exceeded 4 million acres burned this year, officials said Sunday.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, said there have been 8,200 wildfires that have burned “well over” 4 million acres, adding that firefighters also responded to 27 new wildfires on Saturday, bringing them all to full containment.
“The 4 million mark is unfathomable, and it takes your breath away,” Cal Fire spokesman Scott McClean said.
The acreage burned is more than two times the previous record set in 2018 when wildfires burned 1.67 million acres in the state. Two months remain in the 2020 fire season.
At least 31 people have died and more than 8,454 structures have been destroyed as a result of the fires, according to Cal Fire.
The fires this year include the August Complex, the largest blaze in the state’s history at 987,654 acres, as well as the SCU Lightning Complex, LNU Lightning Complex, North Complex and Creek Fire, ranking fourth, fifth and sixth all-time respectively.
The Zogg Fire in Shasta County has burned 56,305 acres at 68% containment, resulting in four deaths, while the Glass Fire in Napa and Sonoma County has burned 63,885 acres and was 17% contained as of Sunday, the agency said.
Red Flag conditions designated over the weekend had subsided on Sunday, but Cal Fire warned that warm temperatures and low humidity will continue to challenge efforts by 16,500 firefighters to contain the blazes.
“Temperatures will remain warm today across the state but a cooling trend is expected to begin slowly, decreasing temperatures slightly each day,” the agency said.
