Fires rage in California
Thousands of firefighters battled 25 wildfires raging wildfires on August 3 in drought-parched California, where officials evacuated entire neighborhoods and closed miles of highway in the path of the inferno, which has claimed at least one life. Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency as firefighters work to contain the blazes.
The Rocky Fire, the biggest, covering 62,000 acres and destroying 24 homes by August 3, broke out July 29, 2015 in Lake County, 110 miles (180 km) north of San Francisco. The fire area is larger than San Francisco.
In this photo, firefighters dig a fire line on the Rocky Fire in Lake County, July 30, 2015.
Rocky Fire
Resident watch a large plume of smoke from the Rocky Fire near Clearlake Oakes, California, August 3, 2015.
Clearlake
A Cal Fire firefighter moves away from a tall flame as he uses a drip torch to burn dry grass during a backfire operation to head off the Rocky Fire near Clearlake, California, August 3, 2015.
More than 9,000 firefighters in California are battling blazes from the air and ground.
Clearlake
A Cal Fire firefighter is silhouetted by his headlamp as he monitors a backfire while battling the Rocky Fire near Clearlake, California, August 3, 2015.
Lower Lake, California
Flames from the Rocky Fire approach a house in Lower Lake, California, July 31, 2015.
Erratic winds, on top of temperatures in the triple digits, have made a bad situation much worse. Thousands of people have been forced to evacuate their homes with the fire doubling in size over the August 1-2 weekend.
California fire
A large plume of smoke rises from the Rocky Fire near Clearlake, California, August 1, 2015.
Rocky Fire
Firefighter Joe Darr douses flames of the Rocky Fire along Highway 20 near Clearlake, California on August 2, 2015.
The fire breached a vital containment line north of Highway 20 late August 3.
California fire
The Rocky Fire burns near Clear Lake, California on August 2, 2015.
As of August 2, the fire had scorched nearly 85 square miles of land northwest of Sacramento.
Rocky Fire
In this long exposure, lights from a car streaks by as flames and a huge plume of smoke rise into the air as the Rocky Fire burns near Clear Lake, California on August 2, 2015.
Destroyed home
Wayne Fischer describes what his home used to look like before it was burned to the ground by the Rocky Fire near Clear lake, California on August 02, 2015.
Lake County, California
Firefighters watch the Rocky Fire advance in Lake County, California, July 30, 2015.
The fire has destroyed more than two-dozen homes, and upwards of 6,000 more are in danger.
Cal Fire firefighters
Cal Fire firefighters monitor a backfire ahead of the Rocky Fire near Clearlake, California, August 2, 2015.
More than 3,000 firefighters are battling the Rocky Fire since it started on the afternoon of July 29.
firefighting air tanker
A firefighting air tanker flies in front of the setting sun while battling the Rocky Fire near Clearlake, California, August 1, 2015.
Crews are battling the flames from above and on the ground. Planes are dropping tens of thousands of gallons of fire retardant.
Firefighter shoots flare
A Cal Fire firefighter shoots a flare into dry brush during a burn operation to head off the Rocky Fire near Clearlake, California, August 2, 2015.
Back fires
A Cal Fire firefighter lights back fires in an attempt to control the Rocky Fire near Clear Lake, California on August 2, 2015.
home destroyed by fire
A fireplace and chimney remains standing at a home that was destroyed by the Rocky Fire in Lower Lake, California, August 1, 2015.
California fire
The sun rises over an area smothered with smoke from the Rocky Fire in Lower Lake, California, July 31, 2015.
Charred car
The shell of a car sits in an area charred by the Rocky Fire in Lower Lake, California, July 30, 2015.
Rocky Fire
A view of an area that was charred by the Rocky Fire in Lower Lake, California, July 31, 2015.
California fire
Flames from a spot fire approach an out building while firefighters battle the Rocky Fire in Lower Lake, California, July 30, 2015.