Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, has declared an emergency in wake of a new round of wildfires in the state. Newsom said, “A State of Emergency has now been declared in Napa, Sonoma, and Shasta. If you’re in the area please stay safe and heed all warnings from your local officials.”

According to the Fire Department, over 18,700 firefighters are at present battling 27 wildfire that have burned over 3 million acres in total. Over 1,700 fire engines have been pressed into service while 116 aircraft have been assigned. 377 fire crews are on the ground with 302 bulldozers and 393 water tenders.

According to the California Governor’s Office of emergency services 165 fire fighters from Texas have arrived to help contain the crisis.

This is California’s ‘wine country’ and the raging Glass Fire that erupted on September 27 in Napa and Sonoma threatens over 65,000 acres, the Zogg Fire in Shasta has put over 56,000 acres at risk. Wineries could be reduced to ashes and many businesses have been forced to shut down temporarily as evacuations are underway in the region. Many fear that the 2020 fires could do more damage than the ones that ravaged the region in 2017!

Local individuals and establishments have been sharing heartbreaking images and updates of how they are coping:

Climate change, increasing temperatures and strong winds have rendered the arid state particularly vulnerable to wildfires that became frequent since the middle of August.

At least 8,000 instances have reportedly taken place just this year. On September 27, the National Weather Service had issued a Red Flag warning. This was the same day the Zogg fire broke out and evacuations were already underway due to the Glass fire.

*Feature image courtesy: Christy Yost on Twitter