California fires: Major progress made, but challenges still lie ahead | CNN

02:00 - Source: CNN

Fire rages feet away from California home

CNN —

Firefighters battling more than a dozen fires in California made major progress over the weekend, quadrupling the containment of one blaze threatening homes in the southern part of the state.

The Holy Fire was 59% contained by late Monday, up from 10% on Friday.

Despite the progress made on containing the fires, firefighters are still battling dangerous conditions. Six firefighters have died so far in the fires across California. Four civilians have also been killed.

For the past week, the blaze has scorched through canyons and across mountains in Orange and Riverside counties, fueled by dry vegetation as it crept into residential areas.

With the firefighters’ ongoing progress, authorities lifted evacuation orders in several neighborhoods in Lake Elsinore, the city most threatened by the fire.

About 11,120 people remain under mandatory evacuation, down from 21,000 on Friday.

A firefighter watches a helicopter drop water at the Holy Fire in Lake Elsinore Saturday.

RINGO CHIU/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

New normal?

Firefighters in California are battling at least 11 large blazes, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

California is seeing more destructive wildfire seasons because of dry conditions and high temperatures, and California Gov. Jerry Brown has warned that this is the new normal. The state spent a quarter of its annual firefighting budget in July.

The largest blaze in state history is the Mendocino Complex Fire, which consists of the Ranch and River fires in Northern California. It has burned a combined 349,890 acres and is 68% contained.

The fire has killed one firefighter and injured two others. The firefighter, who was from Utah, was working on an active portion of the Ranch Fire within the Mendocino Complex Fire where he was injured Monday. The firefighter was airlifted to a local hospital, where he later died. The firefighter’s cause of death is still under investigation and officials are in the process of notifying next of kin, Cal Fire spokesman Derek Tisinger said.

The River Fire has been contained, and the larger Ranch Fire is 59% contained.

Man accused of arson

Forrest Gordon Clark, 51, was charged with aggravated arson and criminal threats, among other crimes, for allegedly starting the fire. He’s being held on $1 million bail, and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.

A volunteer fire chief said that two weeks ago, Clark sent him a message saying, “The place is going to burn.” Clark has denied involvement in starting the fire, saying, “It’s all a lie.”

So far, the Holy Fire has scorched more than 22,700 acres in the Cleveland National Forest.

Gov. Brown declared a state of emergency for Orange and Riverside counties, and several school districts have canceled classes due to fire warnings and unhealthy air quality.

While it’s not the largest burning in the state, the Holy Fire has raised concerns about effects on residential communities.