Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Over 20,000 people evacuated in Northern California


Jim Stites watches part of his neighborhood burn in Fountaingrove, Calif., Monday Oct. 9, 2017. More than a dozen wildfires whipped by powerful winds been burning though California wine country. The flames have destroyed at least 1,500 homes and businesses and sent thousands of people fleeing. (Kent Porter/The Press Democrat via AP)

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Over 20,000 people evacuated in Northern California

The California wildfires, by the staggering numbers

(CNN)More than a dozen wildfires are scorching Northern California, aided by the state's epic drought, low humidity and high winds. Here's some eye-popping numbers that tell the scope of the tragedy.
  • More than 119,000 acres have been burned, much of it the lush, picturesque landscape of the state's beloved wine country. The area burned so far in Napa and Sonoma is three times larger than Washington D.C.
  • The fires torched 20,000 acres in about 12 hours on Monday alone. This means the fires advanced at a rate of more than a football field every 3 seconds.
  • The fires were fueled by wicked hurricane force winds. The highest reported was 79 mph gust in Sonoma County. That's similar to wind gusts recorded along the Gulf Coast as Nate made landfall.
  • More than 20,000 people have been evacuated from their homes; two hospitals were also cleared out.
  • At least 11 people are dead, including seven in the wine country city of Santa Rosa, but that number will most likely rise: Sonoma County alone received more than 100 missing person calls.
  • Nearly 35,000 are without power throughout the state.
  • More than 1,500 homes and businesses were destroyed.
  • No rain is in the forecast over the next seven days.
  • More than 100 people were being treated at hospitals for burns, smoke inhalation and shortness of breath.
CNN's Brandon Miller contributed to this report.

 

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