The biggest wildfire that California has ever reported on record raged on Tuesday as hot and windy conditions challenged thousands of fire crews battling eight large blazes burning out of control across the state.
The Mendocino Complex fire is the largest of eight major fires burning out of control across California, causing U.S. President Donald Trump to announce a “major disaster” in the state.
“California wildfires are being magnified and made so much worse by the bad environmental laws which aren’t allowing massive amount of readily available water to be properly utilized,” Trump wrote on Twitter.
A California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman declined to comment on Trump’s tweet but said crews did not lack water to fight the flames.
The size of the fire has grown beyond that of last year’s Thomas Fire, which burned 281,893 acres in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, while it destroying more than 1,000 structures.
The Mendocino Complex has burned 75 homes and forced thousands to be evacuated.
Temperatures could reach 110 degrees in Northern California over the next few days, prompting flames to spread from the hot, gusty winds.
