Wildfires keep altering California record books

LAKEPORT, Calif. — Twin Northern California blazes fueled by dry vegetation and hot, windy weather grew Monday to become the largest wildfire in state history, becoming the norm as climate change makes the fire season longer and more severe.

The two fires burning a few miles apart, known as the Mendocino Complex, ignited July 27 and encompass an area the size of Los Angeles. It’s the second straight year that California has recorded a new largest wildfire.

Officials said Monday that the flames about 100 miles north of San Francisco grew to 283,800 acres, or 443.4 square miles.

The previous recordholder in the nation’s most populous state burned 440 square miles in Southern California in December. It killed two people and destroyed more than 1,000 buildings before being contained.

Hotter weather is drying out vegetation, creating more intense fires that spread quickly from rural areas to city subdivisions, climate and fire experts say. But they also blame cities and towns that are expanding housing into previously undeveloped areas.

More than 14,000 firefighters are battling blazes throughout California, state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Scott McLean said.

“I can remember a couple of years ago when we saw 10 to 12,000 firefighters in the states of California, Oregon and Washington and never the 14,000 we see now,” he said.

The complex of fires, which has burned 75 homes, has been less destructive to property than some of the other wildfires because it is in remote areas. But officials say the twin fires threaten 9,000 buildings, and new evacuations were ordered last weekend.

Farther north, crews gained ground against a deadly blaze that has destroyed more than 1,000 homes in and around Redding. It was nearly halfway contained, Cal Fire said.