CLOSE

Conditions for firefighting in Southern California were favorable, but that's expected to change. (Nov. 11)
AP

The images and stories from the wildfires in Northern and Southern California presents a picture of a rampaging inferno spreading at dizzying speed.

The numbers behind those hellish scenes are just as somber.

Here's what we know so much about the devastation inflicted upon the country's most populous state.

How many fires are burning?

There are six wildfires, three of them considered major, currently sizzling throughout the state.

The largest one is the Fire Camp in Butte County, Sacramento, which has become the most destructive fire in state history, with more than 6,700 structures.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection – Reported that this blaze has charred 109,000 acres and is only 25 percent contained. Full containment is not expected until the end of the day.

The Camp Fire's impact has been felt all over the San Francisco Bay Area, more than 150 miles away, with smoky air blanketing the region over the weekend.

Down south in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, the Woolsey Fire has brought an extra layer of grievance to an area stunned by Wednesday's mass shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill, which left 13 people dead, including the gunman. This blaze has more than 83,000 acres and is just 10 percent contained.

The Fire Hill, also in Ventura County north of Malibu, has burned 4,500 acres and is 70 percent contained.

How damaging have they been?

To get a sense for the devastation inflicted by the Fire Camp, which wiped away the town of Paradise, consider that last year's Tubbs Fire – the most harmful of the Wine Country fires that took about three weeks to extinguish – destroyed 5,636 structures, by far the most in state history.

It took three days for the Camp Fire to surpass that total. Of the 6,713 structures it has obliterated, 6,453 were residences.

More significantly, the Fire Camp has accounted for 23 fatalities – many of them people killed in their cars – making it the third-deadliest wildfire in state history. Officials fear it might be over the standard of 29 set by a 1933 blaze.

The Woolsey Fire has destroyed 177 structures and caused two deaths. In addition, it has combined with 250,000 celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Cher, Martin Sheen, Kim Kardashian West, Alyssa Milano and movie director Guillermo del Toro.

Why have these fires erupted so quickly?

Forecasters warned in the middle of last week that conditions were ripe for igniting because of lack of rainfall and warm weather, and increased winds.

Soon after, the Fire Camp – named after Camp Creek Road, where it started – made good on those predictions, flaring up Thursday morning and expanding at an astonishing rate. The Woolsey and Hill fires were sparked that day as well.

President Trump inserted an element of controversy into the tragedies when he tweeted Saturday that "gross mismanagement of the forests" was to blame for the fires. California officials have maintained higher-than-normal temperatures – they have caused a greater amount of moisture, and they are providing more fuel for the environment.

Experts Weather experts experts experts experts experts largely largely largely largely largely largely largely largely largely largely largely largely……………… Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather

What do conditions look like today?

The National Weather Service has issued Red Flag warnings until Monday morning for vast swaths of Northern California, covering most of the central part of the region from Sacramento north to the Shasta National Forest and east to the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Those warnings, which are critical to extreme fire conditions, were also reported for much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties through Tuesday's combination of 40-60-mph wind gusts and humidity levels in single digits.

"Today is a critical fire-weather day," meteorologist Alex Hoon said. "There's going to be a lot of shifting winds, dry conditions."

Contributing: Redding Record Searchlight

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/11/11/california-wildfires-what-we-know/1969992002/