Firefighting teams announced Monday that nearly 6,800 hectares of California forests burned during the "Oak Fire" fire, which was only 10 percent contained and is still expanding "very quickly."
"The fire is expanding very quickly, and the window for action to evacuate residents is limited," John Heggy, in charge of California firefighters, told CNN.
He added that more than 2,500 firefighting personnel are trying to put out the flames, which are considered "unprecedented" by their speed and method.
The blaze that broke out Friday, dubbed "Oak Fire", engulfed Mariposa County, near Yosemite National Park.
It destroyed 10 homes, damaged five others, and threatens thousands.
This "huge" fire, according to John Hagee, is being fueled by the dry trees and dry twigs of this area, which is prone to a serious water shortage.
"It´s a direct result of climate change," said the fire brigade official. "It can´t be 10 years of drought in California and we expect things to not change," he added.
In recent years, the American West has experienced wildfires of exceptional size and intensity with a noticeable lengthening of the fire season, a phenomenon that scientists attribute to climate change.
"Oak Fire" is the most dramatic phenomenon of the heat wave that hit the United States over the weekend. Near the fire, temperatures are expected to reach 37 degrees Celsius Monday, according to the forecast.
