(UTV|COLOMBO) A massive, out-of-control Northern California wildfire that destroyed 68 homes and forced thousands to flee has become the fifth largest in state history, officials said on Sunday, as crews battled high temperatures and strong winds.
The Mendocino Complex Fire, made up of two separate conflagrations that merged near Ukiah, north of Sacramento, exploded by 25 percent overnight and had blackened nearly 400 square miles as of Sunday morning, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.
“The Mendocino Complex Fire has charred more than 254,000 acres, making it the fifth largest blaze in California’s history,” AccuWeather said on its website. “Firefighters will continue to face local gusty winds and building heat this week.”
The Mendocino is one of 17 major wildfires burning across California that prompted U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday(5) to declare a “major disaster” in the state, ordering federal funding to be made available to help recovery efforts.
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