California wildfires, thousands forced to leave their homes

In the US, the forest of California is on fire once again. Wildfires burned homes in 10 western states on Tuesday and forced thousands to evacuate. The fire also caused problems with California's electricity supply. The fire broke out when extreme temperatures rose in the west. Scientists say climate change and drought are making fires even more dangerous.

The National Meteorological Department said the heatwave was at its peak in many areas and the extreme heat warning was expected to end by Tuesday. However, the heat remained in some deserts of California till Tuesday night. Evacuation orders were in place for more than 3,000 residents of the far northern regions and neighboring Nevada. There were reports of houses burning, but the damage is still being calculated. The fire has burned 140 square miles (362 square kilometers) of land, including the Plumas National Forest.

The largest fire in the US went across the California border to southwestern Oregon. State fire officials said around 2,000 homes were in danger due to the bootleg fire. The fire has burned at least seven homes and more than 40 other buildings. The Klamath County Sheriff's Office warned that people disobeying orders could be arrested.

The fire disrupted service on three transmission lines providing 5,500 megawatts of electricity to California, and California's power grid operator repeatedly called for voluntary power conservation during the evening. Human-caused climate change and decades of fire control have increased the fuel load, fueling fires across the region, scientists say.