CA Wildfire Update By the Numbers: 2 Deaths, 262 Homes Destroyed, 4,000 Firefighters, 71,000 Acres

Nearly 4,000 firefighters are assigned Wednesday to about a dozen large wildfires still burning in California, the state firefighting agency said.

Though the number of fires has increased since Tuesday, assigned resources are down from 5,200 as containment grows on some of the large incidents.

Wildfires have been burning nonstop across the state since earlier this month, leaving Cal Fire on high alert. Hundreds of homes have been destroyed – 257 from one fire, the Erskine incident, alone. Two people were also killed in that blaze, which has cost the state an estimated $15.8 million to fight so far, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

"We usually don't see [this many fires] until later in the summer," Cal Fire spokeswoman Lynnette Round told Patch on Wednesday. "But we are in the fifth year of a drought...it's just a recipe for disaster when you have high winds and high temperatures."

Weather-wise, Cal Fire is anticipating some cool relief in the coming days.

"In Northern California, hot, dry weather will continue through the end of the week with triple digit afternoon high temperatures," Round said. "By the end of the week temperatures should begin to cool as a low pressure system moves in. In Southern California, temperatures will remain above average for today with temperatures cooling down Thursday through this weekend. Temperatures will be near normal Friday through this weekend."

Cal Fire issues a daily report on the current fire situation in the state. Here is its report from Wednesday, June 29:

**CAL FIRE Incidents**

Rancho, Vegetation Fire, El Dorado County NEW/FINAL

Hwy 104, west of Ione, State DPA, SRA

● 372 acres, 100% contained

Frazier, Vegetation Fire, San Luis Obispo County

Nacimiento Dr X Frazier Rd, South of Camp Roberts

● 86 acres grass, brush, 75% contained

Laguna Fire, Orange County FINAL

Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, 2½ miles northeast of Laguna Beach

● 47 acres, 93% contained

RELATED PATCH COVERAGE: Update: Laguna Canyon Wilderness Fire Nearly Contained at 93-percent

Border Fire, San Diego County (more info…)

Near Potrero

● 7,609 acres, 95% contained

Reservoir, Vegetation Fire, Lake County FINAL

10 miles northeast of Clearlake Oaks

● 215 acres brush, oak woodland, 100% contained

**Unified Command Incidents**

Trailhead, Vegetation Fire, Vegetation Fire, Placer and El Dorado Counties NEW

Drivers Flat Rd, Todd Valley, Foresthill, State DPA, SRA

● 350 acres brush and slash, 5% contained

● Spotting with active fire behavior in El Dorado County

● Steep terrain with limited access

● Structure threat and evacuations remain in place for Todd Valley

● Incident is in Unified Command CAL FIRE and USFS

Erskine Fire, Kern County (more info…)

Lake Isabella area

Unified Command: Kern County Fire, USFS and Bureau of Land Management

● 46,684 acres, 60% Contained

● Incident in Unified Command, CAL FIRE, USFS, Kern County Fire and BLM

● Continued commitment of CAL FIRE air and ground resources

Sherpa Fire, Santa Barbara County (more info…) FINAL

West of Goleta

Unified Command: USFS and Santa Barbara County Fire

● 7,474 acres, 93% Contained

San Gabriel Complex, Los Angeles County (more info…) FINAL

North of Duarte and Azusa

Unified Command: USFS & LA County Fire

● 5,399 acres, 88% contained

● Two separate fires: Fish Fire (4,253 acres/88%) and Reservoir Fire (1,146 acres/96%)

RELATED PATCH COVERAGE: San Gabriel Complex Fire Almost Fully Contained

**Federal Incidents**

Marina Fire, Mono County (more info…)

Near Lee Vining

US Forest Service - Inyo National Forest

● 654 acres, 81% contained

● CAL FIRE ground resources assisting

Pony Fire, Siskiyou County (more info…)

15 miles southwest of Happy Camp

US Forest Service - Klamath National Forest

● 2,858 acres, 63% contained