At Least 5 People Killed in Northern California Wildfires

The sizzling heatwave goes on out West, accompanied by tens of thousands of lightning strikes, starting up and feeding fires that are depleting fire-fighting resources across some 15 states as they've consumed nearly a million acres.  Dozens of those fires are in California alone.

More than 660,000 acres of the Golden State have burned in recent days, along with almost 700 buildings. But some 50,000 structures are still in danger.

More than 10,000 firefighters are taking on those blazes, but it's just not enough, so some are working 72-hour shifts.

The fires have been blamed for the deaths of five people. Three residents died in Napa County, one in Solano County, and also a Pacific Gas & Electric utility worker who was found dead Wednesday in a vehicle in the Vacaville area between San Francisco and Sacramento.  

In all, more than 30 civilians and firefighters have been injured.

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Boulder Creek resident Debbie Hart commented, "There aren't enough people to do the job and the fires are crazy.  It's like trying to keep kittens in a basket." 

Can't be Everywhere at Once

Cal Fire Public Information Officer Cecile Juliette said, "Some of these fires were allowed to smolder because, frankly, we didn't have the resources to get out there and put eyes on them because we were busy battling other fires."

The result: people like Vacaville's Brian Branagan have lost everything on their property as there just wasn't enough manpower to be everywhere at once.

"Normally I will see fire trucks bumper to bumper rolling down the road any time there's a fire up the road towards (Lake) Berryessa.  This time there wasn't one fire truck to be seen," Branagan lamented.

As he evacuated his home at 4 am, Wednesday, he passed a police officer. "And I asked him, 'Where are all the fire trucks?'  He said 'Out saving lives.'"

Residents Take Up the Battle on Their Own

The lack of resources leaves it up to some local residents to save what they can on their own.

Rancher Bill Tiernan pointed to an area near Mount Hamilton, saying "We've been fighting the fire back there for two days with tractors.  We've saved some homes and such back there."

He's hoping he can now save his place, too, stating, "The Tiernan family ranch has gone back to 1902.  So we fight hard to keep it."

Winds Making It All Worse

Wild winds are whipping the fires into bigger blazes.

Mugs Hammer and friends have been taking on the flames in the forested coastal mountains around Bonny Doon north of Santa Cruz, saying they are, "Just trying to make some firebreaks…do what we can.   But with this wind and the hot spots, shoot, this could all be for nothing.   It just could be an exercise in futility because, you know, all it takes is one spark to jump."

He pointed to two homes ablaze, explaining, "That house wasn't burning half an hour ago. Neither was that." 

Newsom Blames Climate Change

California Governor Gavin Newsom is blaming climate change, which some advocates say is decreasing humidity and increasing the number of lightning strikes. More than 11,000 bolts of lightning started many of these recent fires. In past years, California would see around 85,000 lightning strikes in an entire year.

Newsom addressed via video the Democratic National Convention near a wildfire in the Watsonville area, saying, "If you are in denial about climate change, come to California."

Others Blame California Officials

Critics, President Trump among them, say California has let many, many thousands of acres go untended, leaving some 150 million dead or dying trees ready to easily burn and feed conflagrations.

Trump at a campaign event in Pennsylvania said he and his people have been warning California officials for years.

"We say you got to get rid of the leaves. You got to get rid of the debris. You got to get rid of the fallen trees," the President said. 

Near fires hitting Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Boulder Creek resident Steven Shabry said, "Big Basin hasn't burned like that in a long time. There's obviously a ton of fuel out there."

Defenders of California officials point out the federal government has control of more than 50 percent of the state's forests and state officials control only about three percent.

Worrying about the Coronavirus at Shelters

This year, evacuees fleeing the flames are facing a whole new threat as they get to emergency shelters. Many worry about catching the coronavirus as those places fill up. So some are sleeping in their vehicles outside the shelters.

But then, they're breathing in the smoke from the fires. That can weaken their lungs, making it harder to fight infections. And make them more susceptible to the coronavirus.

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