Massive wildfire erupts in California, blazing across 5,000 acres and sparking evacuations

Officials have issued evacuation warnings after a wildfire in Santa Barbara spread across nearly 5,000 acres in one day.

A wildfire, dubbed the Lake Fire, that broke out around 3:45 p.m. yesterday has burned more than 300 acres of land in the Los Padres National Forest.

According to Los Padres officials, the raging Lake Fire had already spread across an area of ​​about 4,673 acres by 11 p.m.

Photos from the scene show a red sky and trees on fire as firefighters try to get the situation under control.

Images of the aftermath also show giant plumes of smoke rising from the forest as branches continue to burn to ash

Aftermath images also show huge plumes of smoke rising from the forest as branches continue to burn to ash.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office has issued evacuation orders for the areas around Figueroa Mountain Road up to the Forest Service Station and Chamberlin Ranch, as well as the areas north of Zaca Lake Road, east of Foxen Canyon Road and south of the Sisquoc River, the sheriff’s office said. Santa Barbara Independent.

Santa Barbara Fire Department spokesman Scott Safechuck said temperatures in the fire area reached 90 degrees Fahrenheit last night and the relative humidity was 9 percent.

Photos from the scene show red skies and burning trees as firefighters race to get the situation under control

The National Weather Service has also issued extreme heat warnings across the state through next week

Images of the aftermath also show giant plumes of smoke rising from the forest as branches continue to burn to ash

“A large number of firefighters are on scene and responding to this rapidly developing wildfire. Firefighters are aggressively working to extinguish the fire. The impacted communities and resources are the highest priority,” according to the federal government’s Incident Information System. website read.

The website further states that the fire is a warning signal ‘due to the extremely high temperatures and low relative humidity.’

The National Weather Service also had issued Extreme heat warnings in effect across the state through next week.

The federal agency warned: “An exceptionally dangerous situation continues to develop during this potentially historic and deadly heat event. Multiple days of temperatures well above normal will result in compounding impacts to people and infrastructure with the potential for numerous heat-related deaths.”

In Santa Ynez, a church stands tall in the backdrop of the looming Lake Fire

Santa Barbara Fire Department spokesman Scott Safechuck said temperatures reached 90 degrees Fahrenheit last night and the relative humidity was 9 percent in the fire area.

‘It cannot be stressed enough that while one day of these temperatures may be manageable for some, an event of this scale, magnitude and duration is likely to rival anything we have seen in the last 18 years.

“Heat is the number one weather-related killer in the United States. It is VERY LIKELY that we are adding to that statistic if preparations are not taken seriously.”

California residents were also urged to drink plenty of fluids, stay in air-conditioned rooms, stay out of the sun and stay in touch with family and neighbors.

The Lake Fire is the latest blaze to hit the Golden State, just days after the Thompson wildfire broke out Tuesday afternoon about 70 miles (113 kilometers) north of the state capital, Sacramento.

Although the fire was 71 percent contained on Saturday, it has now destroyed more than 3,700 hectares.

During the efforts to stop the fire, more than a dozen aircraft, 50 engines and 15 bulldozers were involved in the firefighting. CBS News reported on Wednesday.

The Thompson Fire, seen here, broke out just before noon Tuesday about 70 miles (113 kilometers) north of the state capital, Sacramento

An unidentified resident, pictured above, attempting to evacuate is one of more than 28,000 people ordered to evacuate Butte County

Another wildfire, dubbed the French Fire, also ignited near Yosemite on Thursday evening amid the severe and dangerous heat wave plaguing the state.

This forced the evacuation of some 11,000 residents. By Saturday afternoon, the disaster was only 5 percent under control and the area had grown to 843 hectares.

The fire has not only shut down the highway leading to Yosemite National Park, but is also one of 17 wildfires currently raging across the West Coast state.

The largest of these fires, only 46 percent of which are contained, is the Basin Fire in Fresno County, which has burned more than 14,000 acres.

Pictured: The French fire tears through a home in Mariposa County

On Saturday afternoon, the French fire was only 5 percent under control

The Basin fire, pictured above, is currently the state’s largest fire at over 14,000 acres