California Reports 5 New Wildfires as State Faces Blistering High Temperatures
California reported five new wildfires on Thursday and Friday as the state continues to face blistering high temperatures.
On Thursday, Cal Fire announced on Twitter that they were responding to two new wildfires, including the Pomo Fire and the Park Fire. According to the Cal Fire incident map, the Pomo Fire, which is in Lake County near Pomo Road Cross and Highway 20, Upper Lake, has burned 50 acres and is 42 percent contained. The Park Fire, in Butte County near Upper Park Road and Bidwell Park, northeast of Chico, has burned 600 acres and is 25 percent contained.
On Friday, Cal Fire announced on Twitter that it was responding to three additional wildfires, including the Alabama Fire, the Antelope Fire and the Success Fire.
The Cal Fire incident map showed that the Alabama Fire, in Inyo County, near Whitney Portal Road and Hogback Road, burned at least 200 acres and was 0 percent contained. The Antelope Fire in Tulare County burned 30 acres and is also 0 percent contained as of Friday morning. The Success Fire in Tulare County, near Success Valley Road and Reservation Road, burned 400 acres and is 5 percent contained.
In total, the five new fires reported on Thursday and Friday burned more than 1,000 acres across California.
Prior to the new fires reported on Thursday and Friday, fire officials in California were responding to four other fires throughout the state. Cal Fire officials responded to the Rock Fire in Shasta County earlier this week. According to an update on Thursday, the Rock Fire burned 108 acres and is 65 percent contained, while the Flats Fire burned 341 acres and is 80 percent contained. Officials have not released updated information on the status of the Flats Fire since Wednesday.
Officials with the National Interagency Fire Center also responded to two other wildfires in the state. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, the Dairy Fire in Tehama County has burned 165 acres and is 50 percent contained, while the Flats Fire burned 341 acres and is 90 percent contained.
Cal Fire officials said on Thursday that the Kathryn Fire, in Riverside County, was 100 percent contained after burning 15 acres.
The five newly reported fires on Thursday and Friday come as California has faced extreme heat over the past several days.
On Thursday, the National Weather Service in San Diego announced that record high temperatures were recorded in Big Bear, Idyllwild, Thermal, Borrego and Palm Springs.
Here is an update on the remaining high temperature records today. Several high minimum temperature records may also be set, but we will wait until tonight to confirm. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/QLr7VMCk3I
— NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) June 18, 2021
The National Weather Service in Los Angeles also announced record-breaking temperatures on Thursday in Lancaster, Palmdale, Sandberg and Paso Robles.
How hot was it? More record heat across #SoCal today. The hottest temperatures were recorded across the interior valleys and desert. #CAwx #LAHeat #PasoRobles #AntelopeValley pic.twitter.com/sTDhrnG06V
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) June 18, 2021
"Very hot conditions will continue for interior areas through Saturday, followed by gradual cooling into next week. Until then, USE CAUTION as heat can be deadly! Most importantly, stay hydrated and never leave kids or pets in a hot car!" the National Weather Service in Los Angeles tweeted.
Cal Fire Public Information Officer Lynnette Round told Newsweek on Thursday that "since it is so dry and this week we are having a heatwave, we're extra prepared.
"We need to be extra vigilant and prepared as we always are and ready for wildfire because at any time they can ignite."
