Michigan firefighters will travel to California to offer assistance as wildfires spread across the northern region of the state.
On Aug. 16, lightning sparked new wildfires in Northern California and stoked a huge wildfire in the Angeles National Forest. Now, some of the wildfires have grown to become some of the largest in state history.
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Three groups of fires, called complexes, burning north, east and south of San Francisco have together scorched 991 square miles (2,566 square kilometers), destroyed more than 500 structures and killed six people.
At least 100,000 people are under evacuation orders.
More than 12,000 firefighters aided by helicopters and air tankers are battling the fires.
Firefighters from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are preparing to travel to California to help contain the wildfires.
“The California wildfires have devastated thousands of families, and Michigan is ready to help in any way we can,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “The highly trained firefighters from the Michigan DNR regularly assist other parts of the country that are in need. Just like when California sent us ventilators in the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re prepared to help our friends on the West Coast protect families, businesses, and wildlife from these fires.”
Volunteer firefighters from Michigan will soon leave for California with off-road fire engines, officials said.
Firefighters and aircraft from 10 other states began arriving in California Friday to help weary crews battling the fires as weekend weather threatened to renew the advance of flames. California Governor Gavin Newsom also said he was reaching out to Canada and Australia for help.
More: Science Says: Climate change, people stoke California fires
Some 560 wildfires were burning throughout California but many were small and remote. The bulk of damage was from the three complexes ravaging forest and rural areas in the wine country and San Francisco Bay Area.
Michigan DNR officials say that 15 states are currently battling wildfires, but most are concentrated in western states like California, Nevada, Arizona and Oregon -- all of which have been experiencing a significant heat wave this week.