More than 800 wildfires in a single day ravage Northern California

2008-06-26 05:13:15 (GMT) (WiredPRNews.com - Weather)

San Francisco, California (WiredPRNews.com) — In only one day’s time, an electrical storm gave free reign to about 8,000 lightening strikes setting over 800 wildfires throughout the scenic forests of Northern California.

The lightening storm was a rare instance bringing little or no rain as is expected in a storm with lightening, but miles of electrical sparks rained onto the grasslands and parched forests of setting them ablaze. Sandra Hughes, a correspondent from Chico, said that this is the driest season turning the landscape into a tinderbox. Thus far, the wildfires have marked this as a historical season of fires. Bone dry brushes, lowest rainfall levels on record and high winds have all joined together to create a perfect storm of fire.

California’s courageous firefighting crews are experienced in fighting wildfires but they have never witnessed the landscape explode into flames in the way that it has over the last few days. Over 800 wildfires have engulfed northern California which is said to be an area which has enjoyed no soaking rain during the recent months. A spokesperson from the Richmond Fire Department of Northern California said that the conditions were highly explosive and the fires continued to break.

The storms are not believed to be normal because they generated a great deal of lightning strikes in a large area, and also because they struck very early in the year and migrated from the Pacific Ocean. These storms do not typically arrive before late July from the southeastern area of California.

A large number of firefighters were trying to fight with the blaze on Tuesday from the ground as well as from the air. Officials said that although no houses have been destroyed, voluntary evacuations had to be issued for the residents of nearly 25 homes.

The biggest problem with the fire fighters is that there are more than 300 empty positions in the US Forest Service department and there is a shortage for fire engines. WiredPRNews.com will bring the latest updates on these devastating fires.

Wired Weather Reporter

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