Thick plumes of smoke engulf Healdsburg, California

Thick plumes of smoke were engulfing Healdsburg, northern California on Sunday, as three massive wildfires in the region chewed through parched landscape.Firefighters raced to dig breaks and make other preparations ahead of a frightening weather system.

That system was packing high winds and more of the lightning that sparked the huge blazes and scores of other fires around the state, putting nearly a quarter-million people under evacuation orders and warnings.

(Image Credit: AP)