Fires have ravaged more than 40,000 acres of land around the CZU Lightning Complex in Santa Cruz, California, sparking evacuations on Thursday evening (August 20).<br /><br />Footage from Empire Grade and Braemoor Drive shows the flames spreading through trees along the roadside.<br /><br />The fires started from lightning strikes and have been aided by soaring temperatures and dry hillsides and forest land. Several blazes have merged from Santa Cruz and San Mateo County.<br /><br />Officials have dubbed them the CZU August Lightning Complex fires after the California Fire Service’s San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit.<br /><br />They said that dozens of buildings have been destroyed by the fast-moving fires and more than 48,000 residents evacuated as of Thursday evening.<br /><br />California has suffered dozens of separate fires in recent weeks amid record high temperatures.
