The Rocky Fire, which ignited at the end of July, consumed nearly 70,000 acres of northern California. This fire was on the verge of being contained, but there are fears it could merge with another huge blaze that has sprung up. The Jerusalem fire is raging through dry brush north of Napa Valley wine country.
All of the blazes have been fed by thickets of vegetation left desiccated by four years of drought, and fire managers said they were bracing for hot, dry conditions to persist throughout the summer. IBTimesUK looks back at California's long, hot summer.
13 June 2015: Firefighters from the Plumas Hotshots watch for flying embers as a backfire burns in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest near Hyampom, CaliforniaNoah Berger/Reuters13 June 2015: Firefighters Jesse Hodorowski and Joe Perez monitor the Saddle Fire burning in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest near Hyampom, CaliforniaNoah Berger/Reuters24 June 2015: Fire personnel trucks are parked along a road in a burnt-out area near Markleeville, CaliforniaMatt Call/ Nevada Department of Forestry/Reuters17 July 2015: An air tanker drops fire retardant on the North Fire near Phelan, southern CaliforniaGene Blevins/Reuters18 July 2015: An inmate crew fights the North Fire, which caused people to abandon their vehicles and flee as flames jumped the 215 freeway near Victorville, CaliforniaDavid McNew/Getty Images23 July 2015: A helicopter collects water from Putah Creek to help fight the Wragg Fire near Winters, northern CaliforniaJosh Edelson/AFP30 July 2015: A firefighter wipes sweat from his forehead while battling the Rocky Fire in Lower Lake, CaliforniaJustin Sullivan/Getty Images30 July 2015: The Rocky Fire burns through a fence line in Lake County, 110 miles north of San Francisco.Max Whittaker/Reuters30 July 2015: Firefighters watch the Rocky Fire advance in Lake County, California. After two days, the fire had spread to 8,000 acresMax Whittaker/Reuters31 July 2015: Goats run away from their pen after firefighters freed them as the Rocky Fire approachd Lower Lake, CaliforniaJustin Sullivan/Getty Images31 July 2015: Flames from the Rocky Fire begin to consume a house in Lower Lake, CaliforniaJustin Sullivan/Getty Images1 August 2015: Cal Fire firefighters watch smoke rise from the Rocky Fire near Clearlake, California. Over 1,900 firefighters were battling the Rocky Fire that had burned over 22,000 acresJustin Sullivan/Getty Images2 August 2015: A Cal Fire firefighter douses flames from a backfire while fighting the Rocky Fire off highway 20 near Clear Lake, CaliforniaJosh Edelson/AFP2 August 2015: Flames from the Rocky Fire burns a fire hazard sign near Clearlake, CaliforniaJustin Sullivan/Getty Images2 August 2015: Cal Fire firefighters monitor a backfire ahead of the Rocky Fire near Clearlake, CaliforniaJustin Sullivan/Getty Images2 August 2015: A Cal Fire truck is driven away from flames during the Rocky fire near Clearlake, CaliforniaJosh Edelson/AFP2 August 2015: An air tanker drops fire retardant along a ridge to help contain the Rocky fire near Clearlake, CaliforniaJosh Edelson/AFP3 August 2015: A firefighter rescues a dog that was tied to a fence at a home along Highway 20 during the Rocky Fire near Lower Lake, CaliforniaStephen Lam/Reuters3 August 2015: A Cal Fire firefighter uses a drip torch to burn dry grass during a backfire operation to head off the Rocky Fire near Clearlake, CaliforniaJustin Sullivan/Getty Images3 August 2015: A Cal Fire firefighter is silhouetted in the light of his headlamp as he monitors a backfire while battling the Rocky Fire near Clearlake, California.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images5 August 2015: The remains of a vehicle burned by the Rocky Fire is seen near Clearlake, California. The blaze had charred some 68,300 acres, destroyed more than 50 buildings and displaced thousands of residentsStephen Lam/Reuters11 August 2015: A Cal Fire firefighter stands in front of a burning bush during the Jerusalem Fire along Morgan Valley Road near Lower Lake, CaliforniaStephen Lam/Getty Images12 August 2015: Firefighters look on during the Jerusalem Fire, which had spread across 14,000 acres (5,665 hectares) and was burning aggressively through drought-parched vegetation north of Napa Valley wine countryRobert Galbraith/Reuters12 August 2015: Tall flames from the Jerusalem Fire consume a dry tree in Lake County, CaliforniaRobert Galbraith/Reuters12 August 2015: Flames from the Jerusalem Fire consume a street sign along Morgan Valley Road in Lake County, forcing residents to evacuate their homes for the second time in as many weeks.Robert Galbraith/Reuters
