Apocalyptic California Fire Destruction Threatens Millions: Staggering Photos

California wildfires burning across the state are sending thousands of families fleeing homes, causing millions to suffer hazardous air quality, and bringing thousands of firefighters to battle what might be the worst fires in the state’s history. The rich an dpoor are threatened, as seen in the stunning video report below.

The “Pilot Fire” alone, burning east of Los Angeles, swelled over 50 percent Tuesday.  Los Angeles school districts and roads are closed. Over 5,000 homes are under evacuation orders, according to Bob Poole, a spokesman for the forest agency.

The Pilot fire has already scorched over 8,000 acres, but jumped to 64% contained, according to the U.S. Forest Service. At the same time, a wildfire in the San Bernardino County mountains grew to over 7,700 acres Tuesday, threatening thousands of homes, forcing schools to close, and bringing crews across the state to battle that raging blaze in the late summer heat.

Those abovementioned blazes are only two of many others burning the state in its dry condition, fueled by extra timber brought by Global Warming’s unprecedented hot El Nino and now, winds.

Below is a partial list of those named fires that officials have most recently reported on Twitter.

Over 5,000 firefighters are battling one fire alone, the Soberanes Fire in Monterrey County.

A greyish brown haze produced by the fires is seen all the way down into Baja California, Mexico. Smoke is composed of a complex mixture of gases and fine particles produced when wood and other organic matter burn. The biggest health threat from smoke comes from fine particles.

“These microscopic particles can get into your eyes and respiratory system, where they can cause health problems such as burning eyes, runny nose, and illnesses such as bronchitis,” reports the EPA. “Fine particles also can aggravate chronic heart and lung diseases – and even are linked to premature deaths in people with these conditions.”

The EPA warns on its website:

If you have heart or lung disease, such as congestive heart failure, angina, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema or asthma, you may experience health effects earlier and at lower smoke levels than healthy people.

Older adults are more likely to be affected by smoke, possibly because they are more likely to have heart or lung diseases than younger people.

Children also are more susceptible to smoke for several reasons: their respiratory systems are still developing; they breathe more air (and air pollution) per pound of body weight than adults; and they’re more likely to be active outdoors.

A state of emergency was declared over a month ago due to an inferno near Bakersfield, California.

California families and firefighters brace for hotter weather predicted for Friday.

Photo credits: Brittny Mejia and Matt Hamilton