Firefighters in California are being taxed to the max by a series of raging wildfires that continue to burn out of control, already forcing hundreds of evacuations and leading to the death of at least one worker.

In a blaze that broke out over the weekend near the town of Prather, countless dead trees and single-digit humidity is reported to be fueling a blaze that has already forced many to leave their homes and resulted in untold damage.

By Sunday, the nearly three-square mile wildfire remained just five percent contained.

Victim Identified

Meanwhile, the deadly blaze near Big Sur described as "about the size of San Francisco" had spread to consume nearly 63 square miles and remained just 18 percent contained by Sunday. More than 5,000 firefighters are still battling the wildfire, which killed a bulldozer operator assigned to the fire line.

Authorities have identified the victim as Robert Reagan III, the 35-year-old father of two young daughters.

Already, at least 57 homes and 11 outbuildings have been destroyed and another 2,000 structures remain in jeopardy. Near Big Sur, the blaze has been burning since July 22 and has already consumed nearly 41,000 acres.

"The fire is continuing to eat at acreage; it's still chipping away," said Bennet Milloy, a Cal Fire spokesman. "Most fires, we get a little bit of moisture recovery and humidity at night, but, unfortunately, that has not been the case on this entire fire so far, so we haven't had that slower fire growth."

Given the elements, Milloy added firefighters have been restricted to ridge-top firefighting, with shifting and erratic winds also hampering their efforts.

The blaze has also prompted the evacuations of hundreds and the closure of numerous state parks along the Central Coast through at least the end of the first week of August.

Goose Fire Still Raging

Meanwhile, crews made progress battling the 1,800-acre Goose fire that continues to rage off Gooseberry Lane and Morgan Canyon. As of Monday morning, the blaze that broke out over the weekend was being battled by more than 1,300 firefighters and was 15 percent contained, though at least 400 structures remained in jeopardy.

As with many of the recent California wildfires, excessive heat, steep terrain and drought-dried vegetation have also been factors in getting the blaze under control.

Authorities note this summer's combination of scorching heat and high winds have conspired with a five year drought to make battling wildfires extremely volatile.