Over 5,000 homes have been evacuated in Southern California as a result of two expanding California wildfires that flared up on Oct. 10. In Northern California, over a dozen wildfires rage on. They have injured over 180 people, killed 41 and have lead California to list over 500 people as missing. About 87,000 acres were destroyed by two of the largest wildfires, with a total of over 230,000 acres burned.

The fires were caused by problems such as low humidity, temperatures of above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and high winds that some reported to be almost 80 mph and human-caused problems, which account for 84 percent of wildfires according to a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The problem increased the night of Oct. 10 because humidity dropped again and powerful winds returned to the state causing the wildfires, which had been decreasing in intensity, to flare up again.

In the early morning of Oct. 11, 20,000 people were asked to evacuate immediately. Over 5,700 homes and businesses have been destroyed by the flames, and over 180 people have been injured, according to the Associated Press.  The most devastating fires were the Tubbs, Atlas, and Redwood/Potter fires, which burned about 36,000, 51,000 and 35,800 acres respectively, according to Cal Fire. The fires all started between 9 and 11 p.m. Sunday.

October tends to be the most devastating month for California wildfires, due to elevated winds, lowered humidity and dry fuel provided by dying grass and other vegetation. In winter, La Niña sent a lot of rain to North America, which meant that people were not expecting the extreme fires. Over 11,000 firefighters are working to contain the fires.