Crews were battling about a dozen major wildfires across California on Tuesday that have forced thousands of people to flee, damaged or destroyed more than 100 buildings, and charred thousands of acres of drought-stricken forest, according to The Associated Press.
Three years of drought in California has forced farmers to let fields lie fallow and left communities reliant on well water, with bone-dry brush fueling wildfires in temperatures of more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the AP reported.
As crews put out remaining embers, the people of Weed wandered through scorched neighborhoods covered in pink fire retardant that had been dropped by firefighting airplanes, taking photos and video. More planes roared overhead, according to the AP.
Some homes were burned to the ground, with only chimneys left standing, the AP reported. Broken water pipes spurted over the blackened landscape.
The remnants of the Holy Family Catholic Church were still smoking, marked by twisted metal girders lying on the ground. Across the street, the Presbyterian Church also burned, according to the AP.
The fast-moving blaze began Monday and was among nearly a dozen wildfires burning in California that have been exacerbated by the state's third straight year of drought, the AP reported.
Two fires, one near Yosemite National Park in central California and another east of Sacramento, also led hundreds of people to evacuate their homes, according to the AP. In Weed, residents said they had just minutes before the flames engulfed them.
Dan Linville and his son were sitting in their living room when they smelled smoke, the AP reported. Looking outside, they saw a black cloud coming over the hills.
A mere 10 minutes later, the wildfire driven by fierce winds raced through their neighborhood, missing them by three houses and torching a roof across the street, according to the AP. No deaths or injuries were reported, but the Linvilles figure a quarter of the town burned.
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