Two found dead as McKinney Fire continues to grow in U.S. California

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two people were found dead in the McKinney Fire that has grown to the largest so far this year in the drought-stricken western U.S. state of California within days, authorities said Monday.

The wildfire that began Friday in the Klamath National Forest in Northern California's Siskiyou County, near the California-Oregon border, had scorched over 55,000 acres (over 222 square km) with zero containment as of Monday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE).

The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office said on Facebook that fire personnel on Sunday located two deceased individuals inside a vehicle that was burned in the path of the McKinney Fire.

The vehicle was located in a residential driveway, said the Sheriff's Office, adding that there will be no additional information pending positive identification and notifications to next-of-kin.

"Much of the McKinney Fire saw rainfall overnight, keeping fire growth minimal. The fire continues to actively back toward structures in the Walker Creek area, and night crews were on hand to do structure protection there," said U.S. Forest Service - Klamath National Forest.

While last night's weather mitigated fire spread, vegetation in the area is extremely dry and the continued threat of thunderstorms and the associated strong, erratic winds could result in increased fire behavior, the agency noted, adding that there have been numerous lightning strikes in the area in the last 48 hours, and at least 12 holdover fires have been detected on the Klamath National Forest.

The McKinney Fire quickly overtook the Oak Fire that was burning in central California's Mariposa County to be the largest wildfire of 2022 in the state. CAL FIRE data showed that the Oak Fire has burned over 19,244 acres (77.9 square km) with 72 percent containment, and destroyed 190 structures to date.

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Saturday declared a state of emergency for Siskiyou County due to the effects of the McKinney Fire and two additional fires in the area.

The governor noted that the McKinney Fire, which had been intensified and spread by dry fuels, extreme drought conditions, high temperatures, winds and lightning storms, had destroyed homes, threatened critical infrastructure and forced the evacuation of almost 2,000 residents.

A local resident told the media that the wildfire has destroyed most of town of Klamath River in the area, after the blaze jumped the river on Sunday.

"To have a little township of 105 people and you burn the 0 miles of the river township to the ground, and that's where we're at now," Rodger Derry told KRCR-TV, a television station serving as the ABC affiliate for Northern California.