The second largest wildfire in California history

California firefighters are now battling several major wildfires in the state. The two biggest fires, Dixie and Caldor, have recently forced more people to evacuate their homes.

The Dixie Forest Fire started on July 14 and is approaching 50 days of activity. The fire covers about 3,300 square kilometers and is the second largest wildfire in the state’s history. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire, less than half of the fires are under control. Almost 4,000 people are fighting the fire with the help of nearly 600 vehicles in the form of fire trucks, tankers, excavators and 19 helicopters.

In total, the fire destroyed nearly 1,300 buildings.

Kaldor fire forced thousands to evacuate

The Kaldor Fire started on August 14 and covers about 800 square kilometers on Wednesday. The fire received a lot of media attention after the South Lake Tahoe resort needed to be evacuated. The city is usually filled with tourists all year round. In summer, tourists come to swim, picnic and play golf, and in winter there is an open ski resort.

In total, about 50,000 people have been affected by the current eviction orders issued by the authorities.

For an elderly person, it was very worrying, says retiree Jeff Hodge, who made the decision to leave his home after the police knocked on the door.

Hodge packs guitars, amplifiers, ski and golf equipment, clothes and a bottle of bourbon before leaving his home for a Red Cross shelter in Truckee.

Strong winds and high temperatures make firefighting difficult for the nearly 4,000 rescue workers battling the blazes. To date, nearly 700 buildings, mostly private homes, have been destroyed. The rescue service said 30,000 others were at risk of fire.

No deaths were reported, but three firefighters and two civilians have been injured in the blaze in recent days.