California Is Fighting Over Two Dozen Major Wildfires - In The Middle of a Pandemic

Synopsis

Fire personnel from across California gather at the Napa County Fairgrounds, which serves as a base camp for the LNU Complex Fire, now the second largest fire in the state's history, covering 360,000 acres. For the past 10 days, they remind everybody to please wear masks and ensure social distancing while conducting daily temperature checks for COVID-19. Despite the precautions, the fire line presents challenges for mask-wearing due to the nature of the work. Firefighters from cities like Sacramento and Los Angeles are unable to assist due to prioritizing their local needs. The situation is critical, as losing any firefighters to illness could severely impact operations. With over 2,000 firefighters on-site, the need for additional personnel is evident, as they could have used triple that amount. Helicopters are actively dropping water on the flames, and the team works diligently to hold the line near Steel Gulch, preventing further spread of the fire.