California wildfires burn down buildings, prompt evacuations

NAPA COUNTY, CA. — Several buildings were set ablaze in Napa County, California on Sunday, as crews battled wildfires in the area. A mandatory evacuation was issued for some residents around St. Helena.

Some structures were reduced to their foundations by the fires, which were spreading fast through the county known for its vineyards.

Firefighters used aircraft to drop fire retardant and water over the flames, and the U.S. Forest Service announced on Friday that it was extending the closure of all nine national forests in California due to fire conditions and critical limitations on firefighting resources.

California and other west coast states have been ravaged by forest fires over the summer, many thought to be linked to climate change and a rise in temperatures making forest areas much drier, and therefore much more flammable, than usual.