Wires from the czu lightning complex and relieve left townsend Santa Cruz County unrecognizable in some cases kron fours Maureen Kelly shows us. This drone video shows some of the destruction in the town of bonny doon where homes have been flattened to piles of ash. And debris charred remains of metal frames appliances and cars somewhat recognizable in the aftermath. Cal fire says that the 330 structures burned so far in the czu lightning complex fires at least 200 were peoples homes and its a total thats expected to rise as they continue to take stock of the damage smoke could be seen rising in several spots off the mountain. But now the weather is less of an obstacle for firefighters, there is a. Losing battle that we had a fight with that the beginning but now that the weather has more on our side cooler but the higher humidity, the visibility has also improved allowing for more air support but also the winds have turned in their favor where the winds are helping actually pushed the
These are major fires. Reopen, but it is windy and in mind here. Rarely do we see such major one man didnt think he was fires along the coast in san burning. Going to pan over here again going to make it. Mateo county. Where you can see the fire on lets bring in Marianne Favro in these are live pictures of all the other side of the freeway, making its way up that hillside. Scotts valerivalley. The flames and that thick, black smoke from our nbc bay area sky a terrifying sight. This is my home county. Ranger. This is where i live. Marianne . Reporter jason hickey didnt this is south of pescadero. And its really hard to watch think he was going to make it. And its really scary to watch. We started covering this fire his nightmare began when his yesterday in earnest. And i know everybody is trying and its continuing to spread to figure out where do we go . Home burned down and he had so into Santa Cruz County. So that is the situation out many close calls overnight, as so far 10,000 acres
We have learned that residents of the Santa Cruz Mountain communities of lumpy cohens ion tr among those who have been cleared to go home. But it could be a week maybe 2 before some of the hardest hit areas are cleared. The problem as kron fours rob fladeboe reports roads and utilities have been badly damaged. Fire crews heading out for yet another day bulldozers working on containment lines and still other crews are working to clear damaged roads and power lines. This is fire ravaged swanton road out of davenport were down trees and power lines blocked away many fire weaken trees and utility poles are in danger of falling. These areas are not yet safe for the return of evacuees this not just the fire that were. Having to mitigate its the you know the trees in the road, the some of them were damaged the landscape here is scorched from miles along either side of empire grade whole utility poles have fallen. Crews are working to restore power. A similar story is told by the charred lands
With the National Guard about providing reinforcements as an already devastating wildfire season. Threatens to get even worse. The scu fire complex is the second largest fire in state history. Scorching now more than 365,000 acres containment is up to 20 . Its followed closely in size historically and currently by the lnu complex fire which has burned more than 356,000 acres in the north bay that complex is 27 contained and then theres the czu complex in the Santa Cruz Mountains thats burned. But 80,000 acres and containment has grown to 19 altogether these local fires have burned about 800,000 acres in just over a week all right, lets get a closer look at each of those major we start off with the scu lightning complex and. Contra costa Alameda Santa clara, san joaquin and stanislaus counties more than 365,000 acres have been scorched in the fires are 20 contained tonight, 5 people have been injured 3 1st responders and 2 others more than 20,000 structures are threatened. Now that lnu
In decades. Cal fire says that more than 400 structures have been. Burned to the ground 32 are looking at damage. Converse Taylor Bisacky is live for us in Scotts Valley to bring us up to date. Whats the latest taylor. The key here in Scotts Valley were seeing a lot of Emergency Personnel a lot of First Responders coming and going but some of that action starts about 11 miles west of here. I travel towards that area today and eventually landed in bonny doon and this is what youll see a shot some video from earlier and making my way over that way youll see a lot of dark plumes of smoke coming from the mountains and as i headed towards that direction. I eventually had felt an empire road where flames are still active. Theres many hot spots on both sides of the road so it makes it a little unnerving driving through that area you also would see a lot of fallen trees thankfully. I did see plenty of firefighters nearby the watching over that area now through the flames and smoke erode youll