Crews are still trying to get a handle on two wildfires in California. One is burning in Sonoma County and the other in Los Angeles.
In LA the Getty Fire has charred over 600 acres since sparking up Monday morning. Mandatory evacuations are underway and over 10,000 structures are being threatened along the west side of LA. The fire is forcing parts of the 405 to close and is only 5 percent contained.
In Sonoma County, the Kincade Fire has burned more than 74,000 acres and is only 15 percent contained. Over 90,000 buildings are being threatened and nearly 200,000 people have fled their homes.
Despite Pacific Gas and Electric taking major precautions ahead of the California wildfires two blazes in the San Francisco Bay Area may have been sparked by power lines. The fires destroyed a tennis club and forced evacuations. PG&E says the fires started in a section that was not a designated high fire risk spot and the company had thought it would be safe to keep the lights on.
Another round of strong winds are expected Tuesday and the utility plans to cut power in 29 counties.
While families in California scramble to find shelter there are some ways you can help. The Kincade Fire Emergency Relief and Recovery Fund is meant to help victims both short and long term when they're able to return home. Sonoma County's Resilience Fund will help pay for things like mental health treatment and housing. The Red Cross has also opened several shelters and the Salvation Army is providing meals.
Uber is offering free rides for people impacted by the wildfires in California. The ride-share company says people can get two free rides up to $20 each to and from evacuation areas in Los Angeles and Sonoma counties. To request, enter the promo code CALFIRERELIEF19 in the payment section of your Uber rider app.
