Deadly California fires burn nearly 450,000 acres and no end in sight

This is how they rescued two firefighters trapped in California 0:59

(CNN) –– The deadly wildfires in California have burned more than 445,000 hectares and an end is not yet in sight, as thousands of firefighters fight to contain the fire that continues to appear.

Hundreds of fires were caused by lightning, said Steve Kaufmann, a Cal Fire spokesman. About 12,000 lightning strikes caused 585 fires in the state last week, while more than 13,000 firefighters work to fight the flames, he said.

Firefighters are struggling to contain the massive fires that have claimed the lives of at least four people. Two fires - the 140,680-hectare LNU Lightning Complex in the northern Bay Area and the Central Valley, and the 139,197-hectare SCU Lightining Complex fire largely east of San José - are among the three fires. largest historically registered forest in the state.

• LEE: California wildfires leave at least 4 dead as some evacuees weigh the risks of catching coronavirus in shelters

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced this Saturday that the state received a Presidential Declaration of Major Disaster, due to the fires in the northern part of the state. This means that President Donald Trump provided federal aid to support recovery efforts in areas affected by the wildfires.

Those areas include Lake, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties, according to a statement from the White House. The SCU Complex is now the second largest fire in state history, while the LNU is the third.

Some firefighters have 24-hour shifts

Firefighters in the backyard of a home in front of the CZU August Lightning Complex fire, which rages on Friday, August 21 in Boulder Creek, California.

Although more than 13,000 firefighters are fighting the flames - some in 24-hour shifts - there are too many fires and the resources to prevent more homes from burning are insufficient, Cal Fire officials explained.

One of the reasons for the scarcity of resources is because there are fewer inmates than usual helping in the effort, due to the early releases due to the covid-19 pandemic.

Inmates serving as firefighters "are an integral part of our firefighting operations," said Christine McMorrow, a Cal Fire spokeswoman. Early releases meant that there are 600 fewer inmates in availability for this fire season compared to last year.

In addition, firefighters are concerned about the forecasts that anticipate dry thunderstorms - with lightning but little rain -, which could cause more fires and spread existing ones from this Sunday until Tuesday.

In a news conference Sunday, Incident Commander Sean Kavanaugh said the LNU Lightning Complex and SCU Lightning Complex had burned approximately 279,637 hectares.

“Right now, these fires represent the number two and number three of the largest incidents in the state. Being able to turn both off at the same time is saying something ... it gives us the magnitude of what has happened here in the last week, "he said.

Kavanaugh noted that 96% of Cal Fire engines were dedicated to fighting fires, with additional resources coming from outside agencies, including fire trucks from Washington state and Oregon.

A firefighter clings to his head as he watches the LNU Lightning Complex fires raging through the Berryessa Estates neighborhood in unincorporated Napa County, California on Friday, August 21.

But he indicated that the resources would be redirected to new fires: “If we have a new beginning, we have to remove the resources. That is very difficult to do, but we have to do it. We have to make sure we don't have new beginnings. '

In the same briefing, the head of the Fire Department, Shana Jones, warned residents to be prepared for a possible evacuation.

"Tonight, today, a red weather advisory was issued that includes practically the entire northern half of the state of California and the central coastal areas for lightning and erratic winds," he explained. "So what I'm asking of all of you is - with the weather forecast, the red warning issued - I can't be more emphatic on the importance of being prepared to go," he said.

Fires cause more death and destruction than all of 2019

Wildfires in California have caused more death and destruction to date than in all of 2019. Last year, wildfires ravaged a total of 105,218 hectares and claimed the lives of three people, according to Cal Fire.

The National Weather Service issued air quality alerts for areas in at least six states: California, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Colorado and New Mexico. These alerts reported moderate to heavy smoke and advise people - especially those with heart or respiratory conditions - to consider staying indoors and limiting outdoor activity.

A burned-out vehicle in front of a fire-ravaged residence as smoke fills the sky Saturday, Aug. 22 in Boulder Creek, California.

And while tens of thousands of people obey evacuation orders, they are also assessing the risk of contagion of coronavirus while deciding whether to go to official shelters.

Nearly 41,000 Sonoma County residents were under evacuation warnings or orders this Saturday, authorities said.

On top of that, about 8 million people in parts of California, southern Oregon, Montana, and southern Utah were under red warnings. This means that "warm temperatures, very low humidity and stronger winds are expected to combine to produce a greater risk of fire danger," according to the National Weather Service.

CNN's Jason Hanna, Paul Vercammen and Susannah Cullinane contributed to this report.

California fires