Wildfire grows as firefighters battle punishing heat

A fast-moving wildfire in California continues to grow in size as firefighters struggle through sweltering temperatures.

The Oak Fire has now burned 15,603 acres of land and California’s fire department says it is still “zero per cent uncontained”.

But it added the fire activity is not as extreme as previous days, and firefighters are making progress.

More than 6,000 people have been evacuated and 10 structures destroyed.

The Department says a further 3,271 structures – both homes and businesses – are under threat.

Much of the United States is sweltering through a heatwave and heat advisory warnings are in effect in more than a dozen states.