Containment on Large California Fire Increased, but Temps Are Expected to Soar

Firefighters increased containment on the biggest wildfire currently burning in California, but triple-digit temperatures are expected to bake the state and increase wildfire risk.

The Basin Fire in Fresno County has burned 13,551 acres and is 17% contained, but from 0% contained a day ago. Evacuation orders and warnings have been issued for the fire, which started on Wednesday, according to CalFire.

Meteorologists say a heat dome will send temperatures skyrocketing in central California by midweek. A forecast high of 115 degrees in Fresno on Saturday would tie the all-time record high from July 8, 1905.

PG&E Corp. cut power to about 2,000 homes and businesses in Northern California on Tuesday due to the temperatures, strong winds and low humidity that heightened the risk of wildfires.

The Basin Fire is one of several burning across California. The Fresno June Lighting Complex fire has burned 10,616 acres and is 82% contained, and the Pizona Fire iun Mino County has burned 2,160 acres and is 60% contained.

With the year only half over, CalFire reports 2,829 wildfires and 131,483 acres burned so far —a 1600% increase in acres burned this year compared to last year looking at that same timeframe.

A few big wildfires have occurred across the state since June.

Residents of a California area near the town of Paradise, the site of the most destructive wildfire in state history, were ordered to evacuate and roads were closed as a wildfire spread. The Apache Fire in Palermo destroyed two structures and caused one injury. A wildfire raged through a large swath of western Sacramento Valley after igniting in mid-June and spreading to more than 15,000 acres. Evacuations were ordered in rural areas around the Sites Fire in Colusa County, which burned roughly 70 miles northwest of Sacramento. Both fires have been fully controlled.

Topics California Wildfire