California Responds to Numerous Wildfires

While much of the U.S. East Coast has been contending with Tropical Storm Isaias, on the other side of the country communities are faced with a very different hazard: wildfires. By last Thursday the Caldwell Fire in Northern California had burned nearly 80,000 acres, making it the state’s largest since 2018. Having burned in a remote area, in and near Modoc National Forest, it does not appear to have affected any buildings or populated areas and was largely contained over the past weekend. On the other hand, and in the southern part of the state, the Apple Fire has burned nearly 27,000 acres in Riverside County, which is just to the east of Los Angeles. It has destroyed at least one home and two buildings and forced evacuations for over 8,000 people. As of today, authorities report it is 15 percent contained. Based on eyewitness accounts and supporting evidence, they say the cause of the fire was a malfunctioning diesel-fueled car that had emitted burning carbon from its exhaust system. Read the situation updates at CAL FIRE and articles at UPI, KRCR News, and ABC News.