Northern California's McKinney fire is state's largest blaze this year


The McKinney fire in Northern California is now the largest to break out in the state this year.
The fire started around 2:38 p.m. on Friday, and as of Sunday morning, it has burned more than 51,468 acres in the Klamath National Forest. The blaze is 0 percent contained, and has burned down several houses and is threatening hundreds of others. Officials said there are 650 firefighters on the scene, and they are prioritizing protecting Yreka, Fort Jones, and other communities in the Highway 96 corridor. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Caroline Quintanilla, a spokesperson for the U.S. Forest Service, said the "particular area where the fire is actually burning right now has not burned since the mid-'50s. So that's part of the concern as well, and part of their complexity, because it hasn't burned in a long time."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

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.
Firefighters had to battle both the flames and the heat on Sunday, with the temperature hovering around 100 degrees. "The fire becomes more energetic, and the potential for fire increases ... when temperatures warm up like that," National Weather Service meteorologist Jonathan Garner told the Los Angeles Times.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Today's political cartoons - April 20, 2025
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - Pam Bondi, retirement planning, and more
By The Week US
-
5 heavy-handed cartoons about ICE and deportation
Cartoons Artists take on international students, the Supreme Court, and more
By The Week US
-
Exploring the three great gardens of Japan
The Week Recommends Beautiful gardens are 'the stuff of Japanese landscape legends'
By The Week UK
-
US proposes eroding species protections
Speed Read The Trump administration wants to change the definition of 'harm' in the Environmental Protection Act to allow habitat damage
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Severe storms kill dozens across central US
Speed Read At least 40 people were killed over the weekend by tornadoes, wildfires and dust storms
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Parts of California are sinking and affecting sea level
Under the radar Climate change is bringing the land to the sea
By Devika Rao, The Week US
-
Rain helps Los Angeles wildfires, risks mudslides
Speed Read The weather provided relief for crews working to contain wildfires, though rain over a burn area ups the chances of flooding and mudslides
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Should Los Angeles rebuild its fire-prone neighbourhoods?
Talking Point The latest devastating wildfires must be a wake-up call for Los Angels to 'move away from fire-prone suburban sprawl'
By The Week UK
-
The worst wildfires in California history
The Explainer Total damage from the ongoing fires could be up to $150 billion, according to AccuWeather
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
How will home insurance change after LA's fires?
Today's Big Question Climate disasters leave insurance industry in crisis
By Joel Mathis, The Week US
-
What happens to wildlife during a wildfire?
The explainer Flames also affect the flora and fauna
By Devika Rao, The Week US