DEL PUERTO CANYON – A multitude of fires which began a few days ago have now grown into one of the largest fires within the state of California.
The SCU Lightning Complex has now burned 274,968 acres, affecting five counties and threatened over 20,000 structures. It was formed from 20 separate fires that sparked in the Calaveras, Canyon and Deer Zones. As of Friday, only 10% containment was reported.
Homes in the fire zone and nearby Diablo Grande were evacuated as winds pushed the fire south. At least five structures were reported destroyed.
Cal Fire says earlier in the week two fire fighters and two civilians suffered injures and were rushed to hospitals by ambulance.
Air quality has become very poor in the region as particulate matter was pushed into neighboring cities, making conditions unhealthy to be outside. The National Weather Service says excessive time outside can lead to headaches, stinging eyes or more serious health problems.
An evacuation center at Creekside Middle School in Patterson was established for the region.
Over 1,100 firefighters were assigned to work the fire and the cause was under investigation. The fire was reportedly the seventh largest fire in the history of the state.
