Firefighters in California on Friday finally began containing some of the worst wildfires ravaging the drought-hit state, which have already killed at least five people, but rising temperatures could complicate their efforts. A total of 13,000 firefighters were deployed to tame the eight active fires across California that have displaced about 15,000 people. They have managed to contain about 60% of the so-called Butte Fire, which ripped through Amador and Calaveras counties in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
With temperatures already on the rise, and even hitting the mid-90s by this weekend, we are concerned we might see the fire flare up.
California Department and Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Daniel Berlant
The fire has so far burned through 70,760 acres (28,600 hectares), destroying 365 homes, according to CalFire. Firefighters also made progress in fighting the Rough Fire as it progressed dangerously close to a forest of the state’s famed Sequoia trees - a major tourist attraction. Now 68% contained, the fire has burned through more than 140,000 acres. Progress against the fires is a little slower in the northern part of the state, where firefighters are still struggling to contain the Valley Fire in Napa, Lake and Sonoma counties. It has spread across 73,700 acres and is just 40% contained.