California governor declares emergency amid efforts to control wildfires

Dry lightning, blazing temperatures and severe drought conditions in California and Oregon are causing widespread devastation as crews battle more than a dozen wildfires in the region.

On Saturday, Gov. Jerry Brown issued a state of emergency, securing firefighting cost reimbursement for local and state agencies responding to the fires. The declaration allows the state to mobilize the National Guard for disaster relief.

The governor’s office said as of Friday there were 17 fires burning throughout the state, including one that crossed into California from Oregon.

The wildfires have burned more than 21,000 acres across the two states and hundreds of buildings are still at risk. Three of the fires were caused by lightning.

The Oregon Gulch fire has consumed nearly 33 square miles since it began Wednesday. It destroyed at least 3 homes and was threatening about 270 structures on both sides of the state border, authorities said.

Thirty fires were reported in Oregon over 24 hours, the Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center said Saturday.

Several counties are affected, including Lassen, Shasta, Madera and Siskiyou Counties. Evacuations are in place for at least four towns. Among the cities are Hat Creek, Cassel, Big Eddy Estates and Johnson Park.

The firefighters are getting special help from the Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing. Two C-130J military aircraft landed at McClellan Airfield on Saturday. Cal Fire and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services requested the aerial assistance.

“This particular airplane drops between 3,000 gallons of retardant and the airplane is also used for every other air force mission that can be imagined,” said 146th Airlift Wing pilot Lt. Col. Bill Willson.

Ground Crews continued to work on the Day Fire burning in Modoc County. It has burned more than 12,000 acres and threatens about 200 structures. Aerial assistance has slowed the fire’s progression.

“We put two loads of retardant on it,” said Wilson. “It’s currently burning to the southeast and we protected a town to the north.”