Donald Trump declares California wildfires as major disaster

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has declared that the massive wildfires wreaking havoc across California, which have already burnt over 1 million acres of land and forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents, were a major disaster and has released federal aid.

Currently, more than 14,000 firefighters were battling to contain the blazes which were caused by over 12,000 dry lightning strikes last week during a historic heat wave in which temperatures in the Death Valley National Park reached the highest since 1931, the BBC reported.

On Saturday, CalFire, the state's fire department, said that people should brace for more lightning till Tuesday and make further evacuation plans.

According to local authorities, at least six deaths were linked to the wildfires that are believed to be the "largest ever".

Most of the destruction has been caused by three large fire complexes in mountainous and wooded rural areas.

On Saturday, California Governor Gavin Newsom said the S.C.U. Lightening Complex group of about 20 fires south and east of San Francisco is the third-largest in the state's history, the BBC reported. (IANS) 

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