The California firefighting agency says it's running out of money

About a dozen big forest fires burn in California. The state fire fighting agency, Cal Firehe says, there is a shortage of money during the fire season. Among the immediate challenges, there is the Delta Fire in northern California.

Pilots on I-5 in northern California were scared this week as huge flames raged on both sides of the road.

The Delta Fire has burned nearly 58 square miles since it started near Shasta Lake on Wednesday.

When the fire burned in the dense forest, the flames reached 300 feet in the air, spreading so quickly that some truckers were forced to give up their platforms and flee on foot.

Now, a 45-mile stretch of highway is closed in both directions, forcing drivers to make a 100-mile detour on winding, congested mountain roads.

"I've already been delayed for a day and a half," said a trucker.

This is a big problem for truckers carrying perishable goods, like bananas.

"By the time I get there, the bananas will be too ripe and the company will be angry," said another trucker.

To date, the state has been affected by 5,491 forest fires this year, burning 1.2 million hectares, according to Cal Fire. The state's firefighting agency said it spent nearly $ 432 million on firefighting in August and the "official" fire season is just beginning.

Cal Fire claims that he only has $ 11 million left in his annual budget, but the agency will likely need an additional $ 234 million to fight fires during the rest of the year.