By G9ija
US Fire Officials say California’s biggest wildfire on record is expected to burn for the rest of the month.
The Mendocino Complex fire has already engulfed 290,692 acres (117,639 hectares) – almost the size of Los Angeles.
Barely a third of it is under control, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Firefighters are tackling 18 major blazes across the state amid strong winds and low humidity.
The fire – which comprises two blazes in the state’s north – was declared the biggest in California’s history on Monday.
Officials had set a target to extinguish the fire by mid-August, but they now say they will need until early September.
The fire is raging through a largely rural area, but it has burned 75 buildings and led to thousands of evacuations.
A separate blaze – the Carr fire, further north – has killed at least seven people and destroyed more than 1,500 structures. Burning through almost 160,000 acres, it was 47% contained by late Monday.
Meanwhile, more fires have been breaking out, adding to the mammoth workload of fire crews.
The so-called Holy Fire, in southern California, grew dramatically and rapidly on Monday, with two hikers needing to be airlifted to safety.
At least 14,000 firefighters are struggling to contain the multiple outbreaks.