Wildfires rage in Northern California

California is in a state of emergency as dozens of fast-moving fires, many triggered by lightning strikes during an extreme heatwave have spread across the north and centre of the state.

The fires are threatening homes and causing the evacuation of thousands of people.

There are at least 77 large complexes of wildfires burning in 15 states across the US, almost a third of them in California.

The fires have burned at least 649,054 acres in the 14 states where fires are still spreading.

Some 45 million people remain under some sort of heat warning or advisories.

Most of California and some surrounding areas are under an excessive heat warning from the National Weather Service.

[Source: CNN]