Huge wildfire rages in California

Nearly 3,000 people in the United States have been forced to evacuate their homes due to a wildfire east of Sacramento, the capital city of California.

Over 7,000 firefighters have been struggling with the so-called King Fire burning in the Eldorado National Forest that is reportedly larger than cities such as Las Vegas, Detroit, Philadelphia and Atlanta.

The wildfire is 35 percent contained, but it is still threatening thousands of buildings and homes due to high winds and low humidity, the US Forest Service said.

Southeast winds are shifting to the southwest, which makes possible a potential for extreme fire behavior “if the winds, fuels and topography come into alignment,” the Forest Service said.

National Weather Service reported red-flag warnings for Tuesday and Wednesday in the area.

Some 21,000 structures remain threatened by the blaze, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported.

A 37-year-old Pollock Pines resident named Wayne Huntsman was arrested Sept. 17 on arson charges for starting the fire on September 13. He remains in custody in El Dorado County jail on a $10 million bail.

Five major blazes are currently raging across California, including the King Fire.

California is currently in the third year of its worst drought in decades and Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency on September 17 due to the wildfires.

The state has fought about 5,000 wildfires this year, dramatically higher from 1,000 over average years.

AN/AGB