Wildfire kills 2 in Northern California

A wildfire has killed two people in Northern California, the Siskayou County Sheriff's Department said Sunday. The Mill Fire broke out about 280 miles north of San Francisco in the town of Weed on Friday, and burned more than 4,000 acres in two days.

Cal Fire said in a preliminary damage report that at least 123 structures had been affected, and 50 destroyed. Fire crews had the fire 25 percent contained by late Sunday, and were preparing to let some residents who evacuated go home. Another blaze, the Mountain Fire, that started 15 miles to the west near the city of Gazelle burned more than 8,000 acres and was 10 percent contained as of late Sunday.

Separately, a severe heat wave hit parts of Southern California with record temperatures over the weekend, increasing the risk of power outages and fires on the Labor Day holiday. Highs were expected to reach 105 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit across parts of the San Fernando, San Gabriel, and Santa Clarita valleys, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up