Firefighters in California are struggling to contain 20 wildfires that are buring out of control in the state.
13 thousand people have been ordered to leave their homes as at least 24 homes have already been destroyed by flames that have been whipped up by high winds.
9 thousand firefighters are battling the fires. The biggest, the so-called Rocky fire north of the city of San Francisco, has already consumed 90 square miles of land.
The Rocky fire tripled in size over the weekend, with officials describing that rate of growth as unprecedented.
Lynne Tolmachoff of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says tackling the Rocky fire represents a serious challenge for firefighters.
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Lynne Tolmachoff of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says officials fear this could be a dangerous fire season.
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