Intense videos show the Camp Fire ravaging Northern California
The destructive Camp Fire has already burned over 18,000 acres of Butte County, Northern California as of Thursday afternoon, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Since starting at 6:30 a.m. PT just north of Sacramento, the fire is consuming 80 acres per minute — photos show that smoke is already reaching the Bay Area about 150 miles away.
SEE ALSO: Watch a wildfire spark to life in high-tech Weather Channel video
A combination of profoundly dry vegetation and heavy winds are contributing to the fire's explosive pattern. Over the course of the day, evacuation orders were issued in Paradise, Concow, and Pulga, towns about 200 miles north of San Francisco.
Butte County Sherriff Kory Honea told the Chico Enterprise-Record that "it's bad."
"We're trying to get as many people out as quickly as possible and save as many lives as we can," he said.
Photos and videos on social media show just how intense the massive wildfire has become.
CalFire says numerous structures destroyed/several injuries. View from my balcony in south Chico. #CampFire is now reported at +5,000 acres @ActionNewsNow pic.twitter.com/DI96xNVe4H
— Lauren Martinez (@LMActionNewsNow) November 8, 2018
#CampFire [update] off Camp Creek Road and Pulga Road, Jarbo Gap off Highway 70 in the Feather River Canyon is now 5,000 acres. Evacuations in progress. https://t.co/I2eyWcu8Ro pic.twitter.com/uxt3JPu8B6
— CAL FIRE (@CAL_FIRE) November 8, 2018
Midnight at noon: Unbelievable stories and images coming out of #Paradise today as devastating #CampFire continues to burn right through populated areas. These photos were at *12 noon* (!) by Weather West reader evacuating toward Chico. (He has finally made it out). #CAfire #CAwx pic.twitter.com/qO4kVsJCKX
— Daniel Swain (@Weather_West) November 8, 2018
#DEVELOPING I don’t use the word “massive” very often, but this huge black plume of smoke is jaw-dropping over the #CampFire near #Paradise #abc7now pic.twitter.com/8twUKNxMAN
— Laura Anthony (@LauraAnthony7) November 8, 2018
I was standing outside looking at the smoke in the sky with the #campfire near my office and this fell out of the sky. pic.twitter.com/ZQME56awS7
— Scarlett (@nkaylynn) November 8, 2018
My hometown...is gone #CampFire pic.twitter.com/UgvTdzkc0g
— Arie (@MissArieX) November 8, 2018
Satellite footage shows how rapidly the fire grew in California.
Incredible #GOES16 satellite imagery of extremely dangerous, fast-moving wildfire in wildland-urban interface currently burning through #Paradise, California at an estimated 80 acres *per minute.* Strong, dry east winds. Really bad feeling about this one. #CampFire #CAwx #CAfire pic.twitter.com/l1667JOmDc
— Daniel Swain (@Weather_West) November 8, 2018
The dry heat and limited rainfall — in some places, no rainfall at all — contributed to the fire's spread.
Worse than no rain is negative rain. Evaporative Demand Index (EDDI) is maxing out for some areas for the last 4 weeks. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/AP3ZYjscZt
— Rob Elvington (@RobElvington) November 8, 2018
According to the National Weather Service, the strong winds are expected to continue through Friday.