California fires: rescue more than 200 people 2:00
(CNN) -
At least 22 large fires are burning in California, where dry, windy conditions and record high temperatures have been fueling the flames for weeks in some areas.
As firefighters continue to fight flames and rescue people from dangerous areas, other agencies are proactively closing national forests and temporary power outages have been ordered to prevent future fires.
A power outage for public safety reasons is in effect for 22 counties in Northern California, with 172,000 Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) customers affected Monday night.
Full restoration of service is expected on Wednesday evening.
California Governor Declares State of Emergency in Five Counties Over Wildfires
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Wildfires are advancing into populated areas of Northern California's wine country.
Dozens more fires are burning in parts of the state during a brutal heat wave.
In this image a truck drives through the flames in Napa on August 18.
Look in this gallery the most impressive images of the flames that have affected almost 200 square kilometers in the area.
(JOSH EDELSON / AFP via Getty Images)
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More than two dozen wildfires were burning across the state early Wednesday morning.
(JOSH EDELSON / AFP via Getty Images)
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A house burns in the Napa, California area.
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state emergency Tuesday to deploy resources to "fight fires burning across the state that have been exacerbated by the effects of the historic west coast heat wave and strong winds. sustained ".
(JOSH EDELSON / AFP via Getty Images)
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This slow-exposure photo shows how a tree was consumed by the flames of the wildfires raging in California.
(JOSH EDELSON / AFP via Getty Images)
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A US flag flies in front of a burning house in Vacafille, California.
(JOSH EDELSON / AFP via Getty Images)
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The fires west of Vacaville, between San Francisco and Sacramento, are among dozens of fires burning in parts of the state.
And they come amid a brutal heat wave and power outages, both intentional and unintentional, as the power grid struggles to keep up with demand.
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A resident hoses down a bicycle burned by flames in the Napa area fires.
(JOSH EDELSON / AFP via Getty Images)
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Some people west of Vacaville, a city of about 100,000 between San Francisco and Sacramento, were ordered to evacuate as fires burned in the hills.
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Nearly 45 million people across the West are under some type of heat wave or record temperature warning.
(JOSH EDELSON / AFP via Getty Images)
There are currently 76 major wildfires in the United States, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), and California has been the worst hit state.
So far this year, just over 1.8 million hectares have been burned across the country, according to the NIFC.
Nearly 850,000 of those acres have been burned in California, Cal Fire said.
The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for Ventura and Los Angeles counties through Wednesday morning.
Peak wind gusts of up to 80 km / h are expected for many elevated areas in Northern California, only exacerbating an already active fire season in the state as hot, dry weather will continue to dry out vegetation and make it more susceptible to fires during the windy spell, explained PG&E senior meteorologist Scott Strenfel.
For Public Safety due to Severe Weather, PG&E has Begun Process of Turning Off Power in High Fire-Threat Areas - Strong Winds Expected to Last Through Early Wednesday Morning https://t.co/AOlcxoOAy8 pic.twitter.com/1SdvuxH6FE
- PG&E (@ PGE4Me) September 8, 2020
"Unfortunately, this wind event is occurring immediately after the current heat wave and will produce critical fire potential conditions," Strenfel said.
“Wind conditions, such as those forecast, increase the potential for damage and hazards to electrical infrastructure, which could cause sparks if lines are energized.
These conditions also increase the potential for rapid fire spread, ”PG&E said in a Monday news release.
Farm workers try to survive fires and covid-19 3:34
Hundreds rescued from Creek fire
The rapid Creek Fire in the Sierra National Forest has grown to nearly 55,000 hectares and is uncontained, said US Forest Service Supervisor Dean Gould during a briefing Monday night.
Gould called the fire an "unprecedented disaster" for Fresno County, adding that while there have been major wildfires in the area before, the Creek fire is "the most aggressive of all."
"This is one of a kind," Gould added.
The "massive" wildfire has caused extensive structural damage, and current conditions prevent damage inspection teams from entering the areas to inspect exactly how many structures have been lost, a Cal Fire official said during the briefing.
As the fire spreads, blocking roads and trails, evacuations have been ordered in Madera and Fresno counties.
Many people who were on vacation over the holiday weekend have been trapped and required aerial rescues.
Throughout Monday, helicopters tried to rescue those trapped in the fire, and Monday night remained a priority, Fresno County Sheriff's Lt. Brandon Pursell said.
Temporary refuge areas were established in four locations, Pursell said.
"People in those temporary refuge areas are safe," Pursell said.
"We want families to understand that these people are safe."
A rescue operation was underway for about 50 people trapped by the fire near Lake Edison and China Peak Monday night, according to tweets from the Fresno Fire Department.
The first attempt was unsuccessful due to the smoky conditions, but the Chinook helicopter will make other attempts using night vision, the department said.
Over the weekend, more than 200 people were rescued from the area when flames surrounded the Mammoth Lake Reservoir.
California low fire record 3:59
Fire threat closes national forests
Another security measure due to the "monumental fire threat" is the closure of the national forests in southern and central California.
Across the state, all campgrounds will be closed for day and night use beginning Monday night, a statement from the U.S. Forest Service said.
"Most of California remains under threat from unprecedented and dangerous fire conditions with a combination of extreme heat, significant wind events, dry conditions, and wildfire resources stretching to the limit," the statement said.
Among the areas being closed are the Sierra National Forest, where the Creek fire is still out of control, and the San Bernardino National Forest, where the El Dorado fire was started by a device at a party to reveal the gender of a baby.
The Sequoia National Forest will also be closed, but the National Park remains open with no-fire restrictions and a poor air quality warning.
California fires: rescue more than 200 people 2:00
The closure means no hiking, biking, fishing, or even scenic drives allowed.
The Forest Service hopes the closure will reduce the potential for human-caused fires.
“The wildfire situation across California is dangerous and must be taken seriously.
Existing fires show extreme fire behavior, new fires are likely to start, weather conditions are getting worse, and we just don't have enough resources to fight and contain all fires completely, ”said Randy Moore, Regional Forester for the US Forest Service. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the Southwest Pacific region.
The total closures impact Stanislaus National Forest, Sierra National Forest, Sequoia National Forest, Inyo National Forest, Los Padres National Forest, Angeles National Forest, San Bernardino National Forest, and Cleveland National Forest.
They will be re-evaluated daily as conditions change.
Despite how large and widespread the fires are in the US, this season is actually lower than the 10-year average for the same period, according to the NIFC.
So far this year, there have been a total of 40,883 fires, a number below the 10-year average of 43,456, according to NIFC data.
The total area burned since the beginning of the year is 4,645,058, compared to the 10-year average of 2,298,753 hectares, the NIFC reported.
- CNN's Sarah Moon, Pierre Mielhan, Cheri Mossburg and Joe Sutton contributed to this report.
California fires
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