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California wildfires: 17 confirmed dead, thousands evacuated

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Thu, 12 Oct 2017, 7:02AM
Johnson said the fires are spreading rapidly from area to area. (Photo \ Getty Images)

California wildfires: 17 confirmed dead, thousands evacuated

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Thu, 12 Oct 2017, 7:02AM

Strong winds are fuelling the wildfires in northern California.

Seventeen of them have burnt through more than 50,000 hectares.

Seventeen people have died and 2,000 buildings have been destroyed.

San Francisco Chronicle reporter Lizzie Johnson told Rachel Smalley the fires are being fanned by strong winds, carrying massive embers.

"They're like the size of shoes, burning charcoals falling from the sky. So when the weather dries out and the saturation levels get low , when the wind picks up these fireballs are essentially being flung across the State."

Johnson said the fires are spreading rapidly from area to area.

Around 20,000 people have been evacuated.

Johnson said many of those who died were physically unable to leave their homes, or were caught by surprise because it happened in the middle of the night.

"There was a couple who had been married for 75 years...they both perished in their home together."

She said there was another woman who died last night because she was in a wheel chair and couldn't get out of her home.

LISTEN ABOVE AS LIZZIE JOHNSON SPEAKS WITH RACHEL SMALLEY

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