California is so hot and dry that not even soaking rain can ease fall fire peril.
California’s firestorms are the worst in the state’s history.
The smoke from the fires in Northern California’s wine region lingered in the sky on a hot day. Smoke from the wildfires is drifting through parts of the state for the ninth time in two years, causing lung and heart ailments.
California’s fires have been burning through wine country for months. Now the smoke and ash threaten the lives of residents and visitors as the fires burn, burning homes.
California’s drought has forced farmers to leave their fields, sending water supplies to a near-desperate state.
In Sacramento, Governor Brown announced $3 million from his emergency fund to help drought relief in Napa and Sonoma counties.
Wildfires have decimated more than 8,000 buildings in California’s wine country.
As of Friday, the fires have burned through the same places for 17 days.
On Thursday evening, the Paradise Fire, which started in the hills above the city of Loma Linda, was declared under control, but the winds were still howling Thursday morning.
“I think this is the worst fire that we have ever seen,” said Mike Schurack, the Fire Department commander at the time of the fire. “I can’t imagine what a fire would do to this town.”
The fire grew to 2,500 acres during the night, spreading from the town with the name of the wine region, and officials are hopeful the blaze will be contained.
Meanwhile, flames are burning at the state’s oldest winery and vineyards, the Napa Valley, home of the most famous vineyards in the United States.
The fire that started Thursday near the town of Napa, spread to at least 3,100 acres in the Napa area. An official said the winery has been completely destroyed.
The fire, which started in the hills above the town of Napa, has torched and destroyed more than 600 homes, including historic homes that were still being built, and about 50 businesses in the Napa Valley. It’s now burning in the Sierra foothills on the county line, about 25 miles southeast of Napa.
The state’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said it has spent about $16 million fighting fires this year. Last year, the department spent about $70 million
