Wildfires

Wildfires - California

California Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency Saturday as more than a dozen wildfires destroyed homes, forced evacuations and damaged infrastructure. Dry lighting, high temperatures and severe drought conditions exacerbated fire danger that officials said they don't usually see until September.

The lightning-sparked Oregon Gulch fire has consumed nearly 33 square miles since it began Wednesday, has destroyed at least three homes and threatened about 270 structures on both sides of the state border, authorities said. Thirty fires were reported in Oregon over 24 hours, the Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Centre said Saturday. One of the most dangerous California blazes was burning in Modoc County near the community of Day, where about 150 homes were under a mandatory evacuation order. It has burned nearly 20 square miles, and was only 20 percent contained.