More Than A Dozen Wildfires Raging Across California
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter
SACRAMENTO (CBSMiami) - Firefighters from around the globe are in California, battling more than a dozen major wildfires.
High winds, sweltering heat, and dry land are factoring into what may become the worst wildfire season in history.
Police in southern California arrested a man they say started the Holy fire, which has burned down 13 cabins and forced the evacuation of several communities since it began Monday.
Forrest Gordon Clark, 51, could face life in prison if convicted.
"This is a monster. Who would go out with low humidity and high wind in the highest heat temperatures this time of the year and intentionally set the forest on fire," wondered Todd Spencer with the Orange County Fire Authority Board.
An hour after the fire started, Clark said he didn't know how it began.
"I just woke up dude, I just got burned. I woke up and my stuff was all on fire," he told the police.
His home is reportedly the only one left standing in the community.
Two of his neighbors had to be rescued while trying to evacuate Monday.
"I'm upset with him right now. I'm really upset, he took everything I had," said Melodi Schumate.
One hundred miles north of San Francisco, officials say the Mendocino complex - the largest wildfire in state history - won't be fully under control until September.
"It's stressful. It's hard being out here in the heat, a lot is going through my mind, a lot. Look at the way we're living because of it," said Jenny Rilla who was forced to evacuate her home in Nica.
More than 14-thousand firefighters are working throughout the state, including some from New Zealand and Australia.
The Carr fire in the northern part of California is less than half contained. It's destroyed more than one thousand homes and killed at least six people. To complicate matters for evacuees at one shelter in the north there's been a norovirus outbreak. Twenty to 30 people had shown symptoms of the virus, which can cause diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach cramps.
