SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – Amid a Red Flag Warning, a wildfire is raging in the northernmost part of California, destroying homes and forcing evacuations.
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Despite only burning for two days, Gov. Gavin Newsom has already proclaimed a state of emergency in Siskiyou County where the blaze exploded Friday.
The fire, coined the McKinney Fire, ignited at 2:15 p.m. on Friday on Highway 96 and McKinney Creek Road, southwest of Klamath River.
Intensified by dry fuels, extreme drought conditions, high temperatures, winds and lightning storms, the fire has burned 51,648 acres and is 0% contained, CAL FIRE reported Sunday.
The fire has destroyed homes, threatened critical infrastructure and forced the evacuation of almost 2,000 residents.
Two additional fires that popped up in Siskiyou County — the China 2 and Evans fires — have merged and burned more than 300 acres, prompting additional evacuation warnings for more than 200 residents.
All evacuation zones can be found at Zonehaven AWARE.
According to the Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services, the area is currently under a Red Flag Warning for a threat of dry lightning and strong outflow winds associated with thunder cells. These conditions can be extremely dangerous for firefighters as winds can be strong and erratic, causing fire to spread in any direction, officials warned.
Fire crews' priorities for Sunday are to continue structure preparation and protection in the Highway 96 corridor, and around the communities of Fort Jones and Yreka City, the OES reported.
Calling for a state of emergency allows for more flexibility in the face of an unfolding crisis, including the suspension of regulatory statutes that may impede the emergency response and recovery efforts, Newsom said in a press release. It also helps access federal aid, unlock certain state resources and triggers the Emergency Management Assistance Compact.
Highway 96 remains closed through the fire area and fire restrictions are in effect on the Klamath National Forest.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, but officials believe it may be due to lightning.
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