CALIFORNIA (US) – With a heat wave lingering across large stretches of the western US, three large wildfires continued to burn in California on Monday with a fourth growing quickly.
Fire officials said that Creek Fire, which surged through Fresno triggering the evacuation of more than 200 people during the weekend, has still not been contained as of Monday afternoon.
The “extreme weather conditions,” have stoked the flames which scorched more than 79,000 acres (32,000 hectares) of land, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) said in a statement.
Madera County gave evacuation orders to its 157,000 residents.
A hiker narrated his harrowing ordeal on social media about how he set out on a multi-day trip when the blaze broke out and how he found a way home.
“We’re safe and we’re out, but wow, we hiked our way out of the #CreekFire yesterday,” Asha Karim posted on Twitter
CalFire said the Oak Fire in Mendocino County began to blaze around 1:26 pm on Monday afternoon and three hours later, it gutted 1,000 acres (400 hectares) and destroyed one building.
Social media platforms were flooded with videos of pick-up vehicles being devoured by the flames along Highway 101 near Willits, California.