2 Die Fighting California Lightning Fires, Tens of Thousands Flee

2 Die Fighting California Lightning Fires, Tens of Thousands Flee
Flames are seen along the east side of Lake Berryessa during the LNU Lighting Complex Fire near Berryessa Highlands, Calif., on Aug 19, 2020. Stephen Lam/Reuters
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Two people have been killed fighting hundreds of wildfires ignited by intense lightning storms in California and tens of thousands have fled their homes as structures burn and the state runs low on firefighting resources.

Nearly 11,000 lightning strikes hit the state over a 72-hour stretch this week in California’s heaviest lightning storms in over a decade, igniting 367 fires, almost two dozen forming major conflagrations, authorities said.