California wildfires have burned more than two million acres so far

California’s wildfires have burned more than 2 million acres (809,000 hectares) so far this year.

Some 14,000 firefighters are battling the blazes, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) said in an update on Monday.

More than 3,300 structures have been destroyed and eight people have died.

Meanwhile, eight national forests in California were closed on Monday as extreme heat, dry conditions and significant winds put pressure on firefighting resources, the US Forest Service said in a statement.

“The wildfire situation throughout California is dangerous and must be taken seriously. Existing fires are displaying extreme fire behavior, new fire starts are likely, weather conditions are worsening, and we simply do not have enough resources to fully fight and contain every fire,” said Randy Moore, Regional Forester for the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region.

California is currently experiencing one of its worst wildfire seasons on record. Last month saw unprecedented fires across the state, due in part to rising temperatures and ageing electrical infrastructure.

On Sunday, record-breaking temperatures hit parts of the state.

The state is under a fire weather watch until Wednesday due to gusty winds and low humidity.

State Governor Gavin Newsom has been urging the public to limit their energy usage to avoid power outages.

Source: GNA