fires

Firefighters have been battling hundreds of blazes sparked by thousands of lightning strikes. "It wouldn't matter if we had five times more firefighters," says the battalion chief for Sonoma County.

Officials have ordered evacuations for nearly 8,000 people in southern California, as the state continues to grapple with a rapidly growing number of COVID-19 cases.

A deluge is falling on Australia's southeast coast — and while it's quashing stubborn fires, the water is also causing flash floods and other hazards.

Researchers say bots and trolls blasted out hashtags such as #ArsonEmergency, in a campaign to steer the conversation about wildfires away from climate change and toward arson.

An out-of-control wildfire threatened exit routes from the town of Mallacoota, forcing residents to rush toward the water for safety as embers rained down from a red sky.

Residents in the greater Sydney area have been warned of "catastrophic fire danger," the country's highest danger rating. At least three people have died in the fires in the state of New South Wales.

Officials say persistent drought caused a massive outbreak of fires in New South Wales, which is the country's most populous state. Dangerous conditions are expected to continue in the coming months.

Wildfires destroyed thousands of homes across California this year. Fire scientists are discovering that most homes burn down from blowing embers, sometimes long after the the fire has passed.

The Cates family has been turning excess wine grapes into raisins as a way to reduce food waste. Since last year's devastating fires in California's wine-growing region, they've expanded.

Multiple counties have ordered evacuations as crews work to contain fires across the state.

"My ears just about burned on that one," journalist Val Castor said. The Woodward County blaze is 20 percent and spans nearly 90 square miles.