Santa Barbara County Proclaims Local Emergency Due to Holiday Fire

Elsewhere in California, the 138-square-mile County Fire northwest of Sacramento was almost 50 percent contained. He said Saturday the supertanker is undergoing final checks at McClellan Air Base outside Sacramento.

Dozens of fires have broken out across the western United States, fanned by scorching heat, winds and low humidity. The aircraft can carry 19,200 gallons of water, retardant or suppressant.

The Associated Press reported that it was unclear how numerous destroyed buildings were homes rather than garages, barns and other buildings in the rural area of about 250 people.

This year's fires had burned more than 2.9 million acres (1.17 million hectares) through Friday, already more than the annual average of about 2.4 million acres (971,000 hectares) over the last 10 years, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

"Thanks to some very fearless staff and animal control we have many birds with us now from baby bird room and pelican pools".

Near Aspen, the Lake Christine fire has enveloped more than 5,000 acres and destroyed three homes in the town of EL Jebel, the Eagle County Sheriff's Office said.

Officials issued a flash flood watch for the 85-square-mile (220-square-kilometer) area burned by a fire that started June 1. It destroyed their home by morning.

The Holiday Fire is causing conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the County of Santa Barbara.

Conditions are expected to ease Saturday, said Tim Chavez of Cal Fire. According to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the fire broke out around 5.40 p.m local time (8.40 p.m. EDT) and it affected the city of Duarte and the MTA Gold Line track.

A wildfire in northern California killed one person, destroyed buildings, forced the evacuation of hundreds of people from nearby communities and prompted the governor to declare a state of emergency.

3 p.m. Update: CAL FIRE said two firefighters were injured yesterday.

Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors chair Ray Haupt says the blaze moved so fast it quickly reached Hornbrook, a community of about 250 people about 14 miles (22 kilometers) south of the OR border.

Firefighters wait for water as they battle flames at the Alpine Oaks Estates mobile home park during a wildfire Friday, July 6, 2018, in Alpine, Calif.