Firefighters stretched thin in California

An unprecedented 11,000 lightning strikes in the state over three days likely are responsible for many of the blazes in Northern and Southern California and the Sierra Nevada mountains. The wildfires have killed at least five people, destroyed 175 buildings, and injured 33 people. Firefighters said supplies are scarce, and some have worked 72-hour shifts. “We’ve never seen this level of draw-down,” Marin County Fire Chief Jason Weber said about the state’s resources required to fight the fires.

Will the danger continue? The wildfires are threatening about 50,000 buildings. Officials ordered more evacuations from different parts of the state on Thursday. More than 360 fires, including 23 major ones, currently are burning in the state, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Wednesday.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read Onize Okihere’s report on last year’s wildfires in Australia that consumed millions of acres.

Editor’s note: WORLD has updated this report since its initial posting.