Los Angeles. September 22: The Bobcat Fire in Los Angeles County has burnt more than 100,000 acres as of Monday, making it one of the largest fires in the Los Angeles County’s history. The fire is currently burning near Cedar Springs in the Angeles National Forest, California. The cause of the Bobcat Fire, which started on September 6, is still unknown. Firenado in California! Viral Video of Wildfires Resulting in Tornado Looks Terrifying, Know What Causes a Fire Whirl or Fire Devil.

Till Monday, the fire is 15 percent contained. According to reports, as winds pushed flames into Juniper Hills, thousands of people living in the foothills of the Antelope Valley were ordered to evacuate on Saturday. The nature centre at Devil’s Punchbowl natural area was also destroyed in the fire.

Over the last week, the fire has already doubled in size. Almost 19,000 firefighters are still battling the fire. Notably, the Bobcat Fire is one of the 27 major wildfires currently burning in California. According to the California Department of Fire Protection, till now 26 people have died, and 6,400 structures have been destroyed since August this year. Bobcat Fire in California Spawns Massive ‘Smokenado’ Near Big Pines Amid Strong Winds, Know What Causes a Smoke Tornado (Watch Video).

Video of Bobcat Fire Wreaking Havoc:

Let’s Understand What Are Wildfires And How They Erupt:

A wildfire is an unplanned fire that burns in a natural area such as a forest, grassland, or prairie. Wildfires are often caused by human activity or a natural phenomenon such as lightning, and they can happen at any time or anywhere. The cause of 50 percent of wildfires is still not known. Extremely dry conditions, such as drought, and during high winds can lead to wildfires.

They can disrupt transportation, communications, power and gas services, and water supply. They also lead to a deterioration of the air quality, and loss of property, crops, resources, animals and people. Scientists are of the opinion that wildfires help in keeping ecosystems healthy as they can kill insects and diseases that harm trees.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 22, 2020 04:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).