Oroville, California - A heatwave is ravaging California, where firefighters are battling forest fires and thousands have been forced to leave their homes.

Several forest fires have broken out in California, the most dangerous of which is the "Thompson" fire in the town of Oroville, per the Los Angeles Times.

Around 13,000 people in Butte County have already had to leave their homes, the newspaper quoted a spokesman for the local sheriff's office as saying.

There have been no fatalities in the fires currently raging in the state, according to the Californian fire authority CAL FIRE.

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A forest fire near Calistoga in Napa County, north of San Francisco, also kept firefighters and residents on edge, as reported by NBC.

According to CAL FIRE, the so-called "Toll" fire had been brought under control in 15% of the area by Tuesday afternoon.

Calls for evacuation were lifted again.

According to CAL FIRE, more than 500 firefighters are battling the flames in Oroville. The exact cause of the forest fire is still being investigated.

Pictures and videos on social media and in the local news show several buildings on fire, with helicopters dropping water on the burning areas.