SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – California is poised to hit a fearsome milestone: 4 million acres (1.6 million hectares) burned this year by wildfires that have killed 30 people and incinerated hundreds of homes in what is already the worst fire season on record.
Flames have scorched an area larger than Connecticut and fire crews at a blaze in the wine country north of San Francisco were on high alert as forecasters warned of red flag conditions of extreme fire danger into Saturday morning.
Winds up to 30 mph (48 kph) were forecast to push through the hills of Napa and Sonoma counties as the Glass Fire, which exploded in size earlier in the week, continued to threaten more than 28,000 homes and other buildings.
“It’s a time of nervousness,” said Paul Gullixon, a spokesman for Sonoma County.
Winds were blowing at higher elevations on the western side of the fire and crews expected a long battle to keep flames from jumping containment lines and prevent spot fires from leaping ahead to spark new blazes.