SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- There have been about 8,700 wildfires and about 10,500 structures have been damaged or destroyed in the U.S. state of California since the beginning of this year, according to the fire summary released by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) on Saturday.
To date, the total number of fatalities statewide is 31 and about 4.13 million acres (16,714 square km) have burned.
Over 5,300 firefighters are working toward full containment on 21 wildfires in California Saturday, 12 of which remain major incidents, Cal Fire said.
The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for much of Northern California starting Sunday due to extreme fire weather. Winds will likely be 20 to 30 mph, with gusts of up to 70 mph. These winds are forecast to be the strongest event this year, according to Cal Fire.
In anticipation of the critical fire weather, Cal Fire said it has increased staffing and has been coordinating with local fire agencies.
Northern California's East Bay Regional Park District will close a number of its facilities out of concern about fire danger, according to a report by the San Francisco Chronicle. Enditem
