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According to Cal Fire, the McKinney Fire in the Klamath National Forest in Siskiyou County had burned through 51,468 acres as of Sunday morning, and remained 0% contained. The largest wildfire in California so far this year began on Friday afternoon in the Klamath National Forest near the California- Oregon border, leading Cal Fire officials to shut down of a portion of Highway 96. Fire officials said that drought conditions in the area have led to extremely dry, receptive fuels that have aided in the wildfire’s quick spread as well as strong winds and dry lighting
On Sunday, the National Weather Service issued red-flag warnings for the area due to the threat of dry lightning and strong winds that can cause the fire to spread in any direction and is “extremely dangerous” for firefighters. Firefighters are also dealing with three additional, smaller fires in the county- the China 2 Fire, the Evans Fire and Kelsey Creek fires. The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office said that the McKinney and China 2 Fire became active overnight and said their priority on Sunday was lifesaving efforts and protecting the property of residents who were evacuated.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency over the weekend, confirming an undisclosed amount of homes had been destroyed due to the wildfire, and stating that approximately 2,000 residents in the county were being put under evacuation orders.
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