FREE now and never miss the top politics stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again. We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

Also being called the Cloverdale fire, the latest blaze broke out near San Pasqual Road on Monday. Investigators with the local arson team are saying the fire was deliberately set, as the blaze sprung to 100 acres in minutes. By last night, fire crews had managed to prevent the fire from getting too out of control as investigators continued to search for the perpetrator. Elsewhere across the state, infernos continue to rage, with the massive Mendocino Complex fire claiming another life.

In total, 101 large fires are actively burning across the United States. The Mendocino Complex is by far the largest - as well as the largest in Californian history - spanning nearly 350,000 acres. Close on its heels is the deadly Carr Fire, spanning about 200,000 acres, which has claimed eight lives. The unprecedented spread of the fires have forced tens of thousands to be evacuated across California.

California fires update: Tens of thousands to be evacuated across California.

In recent days, the thousands of fire personnel battling the fires have had some reprieve from the blistering heatwave which has aggravated the blazes. This week, two officials from the Trump administration have visited the crisis-struck area, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. Mr Zinke told local KRCR-TV during the visit the fires showed the need for clearing underbrush and removing dead trees. He said: "We have to remove the dead and dying trees and restore health to our forests.”

California fires update: 101 large fires are actively burning across the United States.

California fires update: This map shows the extent of the fires

A worrying trend of longer and more destructive wildfires is being observed across California and other parts of the USA. The fires are being attributed to ongoing drought, climate change, and building developments deep within forests where small fires can catch the dry brush. A spokesman for CalFire, the authority monitoring the fight against the blazes, said: "A lot of this is determined based on the drought, Mother Nature, what kind of winds we get. ”With low humidity, high heat and low moisture, fire season just seems to be getting longer and longer."

California fires update: This week, two officials from the Trump administration visited the area