Pawnee fire burns in Northern California as heat wave expands
Heat is headed to the Midwest and will then spread to the East Coast by Friday.
The Pawnee fire in Northern California has burned at least 11,500 acres and destroyed at least 22 homes and businesses, as winds and hot weather fuel the flames.
More than 1,000 people have been evacuated and the blaze is just 5 percent contained.
With more than 230 firefighters on the ground and 600 structures still under threat, California Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in the area.
"Each day we're fighting mother nature," Cal Fire Assistant Chief Billy See told ABC owned station KGO-TV in San Francisco.
Fire crews worked around the clock Tuesday attacking the blaze from both air and ground. Brice Bennett, the public information officer for Cal Fire, urged residents to have an evacuation plan for their family.
"Make sure you're ready to evacuate when given that notice. Evacuating early is what's going to keep you safe in the event of an actual emergency whether it's fire, flood or earthquake here in the state of California," he said.
Maryanne Silva, a homeowner and resident for 23 years, told ABC News that she and her family had opted to stay because they didn't want to leave their llamas.
"We saw people's homes burning and we don't want ours to be one of them," she said. "The firefighters, oh my God, the minute they think you're in danger they are there. They're in your driveway. ... I have such faith that they're gonna keep us safe. ... We couldn't begin to think of saving our house or staying here without them."
Across the western U.S., more than 30 fires continued to rage as the West faced extreme heat. Temperatures could reach 115 degrees in Death Valley, 111 in Palm Springs and 110 in Phoenix.
A heat wave is headed to the Midwest and will then spread to the East Coast by Friday.
This is expected to be the longest heat wave of the season so far for the Midwest and Northeast.
Strong storms are also headed to the Midwest.
Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Tulsa could see damaging winds, hail and a few tornadoes.
Flooding is also headed to the Midwest Tuesday afternoon, from Chicago to Louisville.
Some areas could see 2 to 4 inches of rain Tuesday, especially from Chicago to the Carolinas.