(UTV|COLOMBO) Two California wildfires have merged, creating the largest blaze in the state’s history. Firefighters have only contained a small part of the Mendocino Complex fire in the northern part of the state, and hot weather is setting the stage for the fire to spread even further.
Aided by slightly cooler temperatures, firefighters made steady progress Sunday in battling a wildfire that destroyed 16 structures as it raged through Southern California’s Cleveland National Forest.
The Holy Fire was 41 percent contained Sunday afternoon after burning across 35.5 square miles (92 kilometers) of dry timber and brush, said Lynne Tolmachoff of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
“The weather out here in California seems to be cooling down today and over the next couple days, and that should hopefully help firefighters get even more containment,” Tolmachoff said. “They should make better progress over the next couple of days.”
They’ll need to, with temperatures, expected to again reach 100 degrees or more by the end of the week.
The Holy Fire named for Holy Jim Canyon, where it began last Monday is one of nearly 20 blazes burning across California as the state sees earlier, longer and more destructive wildfire seasons because of drought, warmer weather attributed to climate change and home construction deeper into forests.
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