More than a dozen wildfires fueled by powerful winds swept through California wine country overnight, killing at least 10 people, destroying hundreds of homes and other structures, forcing thousands of people to flee and leaving tens of thousands without power, NBC News reported.

Gov. Jerry Brown declared an emergency in eight counties, including Napa and Sonoma, as at least 15 new fires burned across the northern half of the state. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency immediately agreed to the state's request for federal funds to help fight many of the fires, the Department of Homeland Security said.

Sonoma County Sheriff Rob Giordano said seven people had been killed there in fire-related incidents — and "that number's going to change." The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection confirmed that two people had been killed in Napa County, as well as one person in Mendocino County.

Source: MENA