Climate change caused dozens of fires that are burning California to ashes, California Lieutenant Governor, John Garamendi, said.

Garamendi said that the fire season ends at the beginning of fall, but so far the state is getting hotter, not cooler. California has yet to have a fall season this year. Temperatures across the state are 10 degrees warmer than average.

Nearly 500,000 people have evacuated many parts of California and over 1,200 homes and buildings have been destroyed.

The fires, most which remain out of control, were merging into larger ones as of this morning. Firefighters are fighting walls of flames that are whipping from mountain passes to the edges of the state's pacific coastline.

California officials expect the total estimate of evacuees to climb as most red flag warnings have been extended until late tomorrow.

Federal disaster officials have arrived in California after President Bush declared a federal emergency for several counties which will help speed disaster relief efforts.