For two days straight, Ron Earls and his team of California firefighters battled a monster blaze this week that spread out of control in a small town.

“We were out here for almost 50 hours,” Earls told AFP, standing amid still-smoldering ruins of homes consumed by the flames in Middletown, in Lake County.

“The adrenaline kicks in and you are not that tired,” added Earls, soot streaking his face and coating his flame-resistant yellow jumpsuit.

A member of his crew hefted a large axe as they doused hot spots and hacked away charred beams at risk of falling.

The so-called Valley Fire, one of the worst wildfires in California history, destroyed more than 500 homes and displaced thousands after it erupted on Saturday, stunning even seasoned firefighters as it spread at lightning speed, whipped by high winds.

Read the article “Relentless Battle for California Firefighters” on news.yahoo.com.