California's two largest fires are nearly neck-and-neck in size
SONOMA, Calif. - The LNU Lightning Complex fires in the North Bay on Thursday stood at just about the same size as the SCU fires raging in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties.
Cal Fire said the LNU fires had scorched about 369,935 acres of land compared to the SCU fires, which had scorched 369,471 acres. Crews had contained 35% of both fires by Thursday night.
Both fires are listed as California's largest complex of fires, which were sparked 12 days ago because of lightning strikes across the state.
Since the lightning siege last Saturday, Cal Fire crews said there have been nearly 14,000 lightning strikes in all, sparking more than 700 new wildfires, which have now burned over 1.35 million acres throughout California. That's roughly the size of Delaware.
The LNU fires continued to threaten 30,000 structures, and already, the blazes have damaged or destroyed more than 1,300 buildings. Five people have died in these complex of fires that encompass Napa, Solano, Sonoma, Lake and Yolo counties.
Within this fire complex, however, some residents in Solano County were able to move back into their homes after being evacuated for more than a week.
Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant said that as the weather is improving and a strong marine layer is moving in, there have also been more than two dozen lightning strikes in the last 24 hours in Northern California.
Warmer conditions are expected over the weekend, Berlant noted, and isolated thunderstorms are still possible in the upper portion of northern California and the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.
TOPSHOT - Resident Alyssa Medina reacts while looking over the charred remains of her family home during the LNU Lightning Complex fire in Vacaville, California on August 23, 2020. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)
BOULDER CREEK, CA - AUGUST 22: Smoke hangs low in the air at Big Basin Redwoods State Park as some redwoods are still on fire on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020 in Boulder Creek, CA. The CZU August Lightning complex fires tore through Big Basin Redwoods Stat
WATSONVILLE, CA - AUGUST 19: Evacuee Susan Powell of Boulder Creek spends time with her husband, Donald, in their car at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds on Aug. 19, 2020, in Watsonville, Calif. The Powells are staying in their car during the day to
August 19, 2020, Vacaville, CA, USA: A home does up in flames on Serenity Hills road during the LNU Lightning Complex fires at the on Wednesday, Aug 19, 2020 in Vacaville. .It is a rapidly spreading wildfire that spread towards Vacaville early Wednes