and that was three years ago. reporter: california s warm and dry conditions, including july, registering as the hottest month on error record here have created the perfect storm for wildfires. nearly 17,000 structures are threatened by three fires alone, as thousands of people have evacuated their homes. more than 13,000 firefighters are battling 19 major fires across the entire state, including what has already become the largest in california s history, the mendocino complex fire. on the front lines, a firsthand glimpse at how they re trying to fight it. controlled burns help get rid of any potential fuel that could help spread the wildfire. this fire is huge, but why has it been able to grow so big? our first priority is protecting the communities and the homes. secondly, in building our control lines, we have to use a national lly occurring geograph features to help us control the fire. reporter: back in southern california, residents here are
historic and the reason i say that is there are firefighters that have 20 25 30 years on the job that have never seen fire behavior like we ve seen the last couple days. reporter: the largest blaze, the rocky fire. it has torched some 60,000 acres in three counties just north of wine country. only 12% contained, california fire officials say at least 6,000 structures are threatened. crews on the scene scrambling to build control lines and maintain the prim tir. in some cases, this means setting fire to remove fuel for the inferno. last night we burned out much of the grass so that by the time the actual wildfire burned there we have a much larger area to really make a stand. reporter: bufft the conditions are daunting a severe four-year-long drought and the heat are a deadly combination. a u.s. firefighter from south dakota was killed while working
6,000 structures are threatened. crews on the scene scrambling to build control lines and maintain the perimeter. in some cases, this means setting fire to remove fuel for the inferno. last night we burned out much of the grass so by the time the actual wildfire burned there we have a much larger area to make a stand. reporter: but the conditions are daunting. a severe four-year-long drought, and 100-degree heat, are a deadly combination. a u.s. forest service firefighter from south dakota was killed while working a fire in modoc county. governor jerry brown has declared a state of emergency and evacuations have been ordered for more than 12,000 californians. and as you take a look at what is happening with my hair, it s how i measure the wind. you can see it s really picking up here and that is a problem. the wind picks up in the afternoon, the daylight hours, and that wan spread embers from
historic. there are firefighters that/20, 25, 30 years on the job that have never seen fire behavior like we have seen the last couple days. the largest blaze, the rocky fire, it has torched some 60,000 acres in three counties just north of wine country. only 12% contained, california fire officials say at least 6,000 structures are threatened. crews on the scene scrambling to build control lines and maintain the perimeter. in some cases, this means setting fire to remove fuel for the inferno. last night we burned out much of the grass that, by the time the actual fired burned there, we have a much larger area to really make a stand. but the conditions are daunting. a severe four-year-long drought in 100-degree heat are a deadly combination. a u.s. forest service firefighters from south dakota was killed while working a fire in modoc county.
when you think you will get this thing under control? well, to put it in perspective in order for us to fully contain the fire at the size it is right now, we would have to build 165 miles of control lines and it s not straight, easy, flat country. it is very steep. sawtooth mountains. so, you know, we aren t even projecting a containment date right now. gregg: yeah. what do you need more of right now? do you need more firefighters? you know, we have 1150 people assigned to the fire right now, lots of resources. they re getting in there. they re doing some amazing firefighting. really more people right now wouldn t necessarily help. we could really stand some help from mother nature would be the biggest thing that would be helpful to us today. gregg: indeed it would. traci weaver, best of you can to you and everybody out there trying to this massive wildfire.