FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - A fast-moving wildfire in the Sierra Nevada has prompted multiple evacuation orders and a local state of emergency, as the Garnet Fire continues to burn out of control with zero containment.

As of Tuesday, the fire had scorched thousands of acres, fueled by dense, dry vegetation and downed trees left behind by the region’s bark beetle epidemic.

“Those trees were killed during the bug kill. They’re now lying on the ground. They burn very readily, very hot… and they carry fire very well,” said Adrienne Freeman, a public information officer with the U.S. Forest Service.

Avocado Lake transformed into Firefighter Base Camp

The U.S. Forest Service has established a full-scale incident command post at Avocado Lake near Sanger.

More than 1,000 firefighters

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