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.
-
Tuvalu is being lost to climate change. Other countries will likely follow.Under the Radar Sea level rise is putting islands underwater
-
Massive earthquake sends tsunami across PacificSpeed Read Hundreds of thousands of people in Japan and Hawaii were told to evacuate to higher ground
-
Spiking whale deaths in San Francisco have marine biologists worriedIn the Spotlight Whale deaths in the city's bay are at their highest levels in 25 years
-
FEMA Urban Search and Rescue chief resignsSpeed Read Ken Pagurek has left the organization, citing 'chaos'
-
Wildfires destroy historic Grand Canyon lodgeSpeed Read Dozens of structures on the North Rim have succumbed to the Dragon Bravo Fire
-
Search for survivors continues after Texas floodsSpeed Read A total of 82 people are confirmed dead, including 28 children
-
EPA is reportedly killing Energy Star programspeed read The program for energy-efficient home appliances has saved consumers billions in energy costs since its 1992 launch
-
US proposes eroding species protectionsSpeed Read The Trump administration wants to change the definition of 'harm' in the Environmental Protection Act to allow habitat damage
