THREE people were killed as two rapidly growing wildfires tore through Northern California, scorching tens of thousands of acres and forcing the evacuation of nearly 70,000 people from the famed Napa and Sonoma wine country.

Authorities said Monday three people had died in the Zogg Fire in Shasta County, which began Sunday and had grown to more than 31,000 acres (12,545 hectares) just over a day later. Thousands were forced to flee in neighboring wine country as two new fires merged with the growing Glass Fire, destroying homes and renowned vineyards as dry, windy conditions fanned the flames.

Late Monday night, the Glass Fire had tripled in size to more than 36,000 acres (hectares). Both that blaze and the Zogg Fire were zero percent contained, according to fire officials. The causes of the fires are under investigation.

“Tonight ― and every night ― we’re eternally grateful for the firefighters and first responders that are on the frontlines keeping our state safe,” the state’s governor, Gavin Newsom, wrote on Twitter. “California heroes.”

The extent of the damage is unclear so far, but officials said the Zogg Fire had already destroyed 146 structures and was threatening 1,500 more, according to the Los Angeles Times. Newsom added at a press briefing that a “substantial” number of buildings, including wineries, had been damaged by the flames.

The blazes are just the latest threat to a region battered by the coronavirus pandemic and a series of blazes just a month ago that bathed California in smoke, prompting their own round of evacuations and concern. The region is still recovering from a massive spate of wildfires in 2017, including one blaze that killed 22 people. 

(SD-Agencies)