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4,425 Firefighters Are Battling A Fire That's Already The Size Of A Small City

Chelsea Harvey   

4,425 Firefighters Are Battling A Fire That's Already The Size Of A Small City
Science1 min read

A wildfire that has been blazing in California for six days has burned through more than 76,000 acres and is still going strong. More than 4,000 firefighters are working on putting out the blaze, which seems to have been intentionally set.

The "King Fire" started last Saturday in El Dorado County and nearly a week later, it's only 10% contained. On Sept 17, California Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for both El Dorado County and Siskiyou County, where another wildfire - the Boles Fire - continues to rage as well.

Images of the massive blaze were captured Wednesday from NASA's Aqua satellite, as seen below.

California_Fire_NASA_2

NASA Earth Observatory

The blaze threatens more than 21,000 structures and has caused 2,800 people to evacuate, said a public information technician from California's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Officials are still working on updating numbers for human injuries and damaged structures as a result of the fire, but there are two injuries listed on the department's most recent factsheet.

"The wildfires in Northern California serve as a reminder that dry conditions can be the precursor to devastating loss," said Gov. Brown in a statement. "Anne and I extend our deepest sympathies to those who have suffered such terrible losses in the fires."

Nine other fires continue to burn across the state, as shown by the map below, though the King fire is the biggest.

Screen Shot 2014 09 19 at 2.38.24 PM

CAL FIRE/Google Maps

There are currently 7,600 firefighters battling the flames across the state, with 4,425 personnel from local, state, and federal agencies dedicated to the King Fire alone.

Police have arrested Wayne Allen Huntsman, 37, on charges of purposefully setting the fire, and his bail has been set at $10 million.

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