Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. (AP) — Drought-stricken California is in the midst of a deadly and destructive siege of wildfires, some exhibiting extreme behavior with what state officials describe as record rates of spread exceeding predictions of computer models. Here’s a look at the situation Tuesday:
NUMBER OF FIRES: 12, mostly in the northern coastal ranges and the Sierra Nevada.
TOTAL AREA OF FIRES: 721 square miles, more than half of it from the three most significant blazes.
NUMBER OF PEOPLE DISPLACED: 23,000 from two fires.
LOSSES: 720 homes in two fires, hundreds of other structures including businesses, barns, outbuildings and infrastructure.
STRUCTURES THREATENED: 15,400 at two fires.
CASUALTIES: One civilian dead; four firefighters injured; several people unaccounted for.
FIREFIGHTERS: More than 13,000.
NUMBER OF WILDFIRES IN THE STATE THIS YEAR: Approximately 6,000, or about 1,500 more than this time last year.
NUMBER OF FIRE STARTS EACH WEEK: Approximately 250.
Sources: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Cal Fire Director Ken Pimlott, Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Director Mark Ghilarducci.