LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Fire crews across the West are battling multiple wildfires under some of the hottest weather the West Coast has seen in 70 years.
In California, there at least 15 wildfires burning.
The Lake Fire started burning north of Los Angeles last Wednesday. At least 33 homes and other buildings have been destroyed in about a 30 square-mile area.
The heat wave is also adding to the issue because normally California can take power from neighboring states like Arizona and Washington. But its also hot in those states, so they don’t have enough power to give. As a result, California has been dealing with rolling blackouts.
“You can’t control the weather, but you can prepare for the weather events. And let me just make this crystal clear, we failed to predict and plan. That’s simply unacceptable,” said California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
At least four major fires are also burning in the Colorado Rockies, in Oregon and near the Nevada border.
There are two fires burning near Nevada’s border with California. In Southern California, the Dome Fire in Mojave National Preserve has consumed more than 40,000 acres. The preserve, which is about 70 miles west of Las Vegas, has one of the largest Joshua Tree forests in the world.
In Northern California, the Loyalton Fire has also scorched more than 44,000 and is only 10% contained. That fire is burning about 45 miles northwest of Reno.