200,000 Forced to Evacuate Uncontrollable Wildfires in Southern California

In California, nearly 200,000 people have been forced to evacuate as drought-fueled wildfires tear across Southern California. Climate experts say the intensity of the winter blazes is linked to climate change. The fires caused the intermittent shutdown of the 101 and 405 freeways. Nearly 150,000 acres have been scorched so far by the fires. Authorities have warned residents to stay inside because of the dangerous air quality caused by smoke and cancerous ash from the fires. But a number of farms have stayed open, sparking concerns that farmworkers are laboring in hazardous conditions without proper equipment. On Wednesday, volunteers handing out free protective masks to farmworkers say they were kicked off some farms, despite the fact that the pickers were asking for the safety equipment.