LOS ANGELES — As California braces for a dangerous, prolonged heat wave that’s expected to last through next week, firefighters across the state are battling several new wildfires, some serious enough to force evacuations.

The most concerning fire was burning in Oroville, where several structures were destroyed and thousands evacuated as flames pushed closer to communities.

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday declared a state of emergency for the fire, which he said was threatening “structures, homes, critical infrastructure, and health and congregate care facilities.”

“We are using every available tool to tackle this fire and will continue to work closely with our local and federal partners to support impacted communities,” Newsom said in a statement.

Crews on Wednesday were fighting the Thompson fire under excessive-heat and red flag warnings, with temperatures forecast to reach up to 109 degrees and wind gusts up to 30 mph.

The fire had grown to 3,002 acres by Wednesday morning and was 0% contained, threatening about 230 structures, Cal Fire officials said. The latest update said four firefighters had been injured, but the extent of those injuries was unclear.

Climate change is making heat waves more frequent and severe

Climate change is transforming the character of the West’s hottest periods — making them more frequent, more persistent, more humid and more lethal. Greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels also play a role, not only by fueling higher air temperatures but also by warming ocean water.

The fire spurred an evacuation order affecting thousands in and around the city and in Butte County after it broke out just before 11 a.m. Tuesday, according to Dan Collins, a fire captain at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Butte County station.

Images on social media and local news outlets showed several buildings burning in Oroville, but the exact number of structures that had been engulfed was unclear.

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