Wildfire

California Gold Rush town 'destroyed' by state's largest wildfire

The estimated 800 residents of the northern California community were told to evacuate before the blaze tore through the downtown area.

Officials say some people may not have heeded the order to leave. There have been no reports of deaths or injuries.

The three-week old Dixie Fire is now the eighth largest in state history.

Pictures from the scene show tall trees that have caught on fire, and structures that have been scorched and hollowed out by flames.

One photographer tweeted a photo of a metal light pole that had melted due to the intense heat.

Thousands evacuated in southern California

Several thousand homes are under mandatory evacuation in the cities of Ventura and Santa Paula, some 70 miles (115 km) north of Los Angeles.

Firefighters warned the fire was moving so fast they were unable to contain it.

Fanned by high winds, the fire swept through tens of thousands of acres in a matter of hours.

California Governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency in Ventura County, promising to attack the fire "with all we've got".

Canada's British Columbia battles wildfires

The federal government says it is monitoring the situation closely and is ready to provide assistance upon request.

CBC News reported that an estimated 7,000 people had been forced from their homes.

The fires threaten several communities in BC's central interior region.

It is the first state of emergency declared by the province in 14 years.

The BC Wildfire Service said that lightning, strong winds and high heat were all contributing factors in the spread of the wildfires burning across hundreds of kilometres.

The Latest: California wildfire kills older, disabled woman

The Lake County Sheriff's Department said Monday that deputies received a call Saturday night to check on the woman, but they were unable to approach her house because of the flames. The agency says the woman appeared unable to leave her home without assistance.

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Deadly Northern California wildfire incinerates homes

The wildfire also send thousands fleeing down flame-lined streets.

But it's not the only one. A second massive blaze, less than 200 miles away, destroyed 135 homes as it spread through Amador and Calaveras counties in the Sierra Nevada. That fire was 30 percent contained.

Thousands flee 2 fast-moving California wildfires

The fire began in Lake County, about 100 miles north of San Francisco, and grew to about 15 square miles (or 10,000 acres) in just a few hours, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

The firefighters, all members of a helicopter crew, were airlifted to a hospital burn unit, where they were listed in stable condition, department spokesman Daniel Berlant said.

The fire forced the evacuation of two towns as well as residents along a 35-mile stretch of State Route 29. 

Ammonia leaks from warehouse burning in Washington wildfire

Chelan County Emergency management issued the order late Monday morning for an area within half a mile to the south of the Blue Bird fruit warehouse in Wenatchee. But Washington State Patrol Trooper Darren Wright said it was unclear how many people remained in the area because they had already been advised to evacuate.

The wildfire was fueled by high temperatures and strong winds as it roared into town Sunday afternoon. The blaze ignited in brush just outside Wenatchee and quickly burned out of control, destroying two dozen structures.