A plane drops fire retardant on a fire along Highway 68 east of Laureles Grade in rural Salinas, Calif., on Saturday.

At least nine wildfires remained active in California as of Sunday, local authorities say, and hot and dry weather is hampering efforts to control the blazes.

Nearly 11,000 firefighters are in the field battling the fires, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) said in a statement.

At least five people have died in this year’s wildfires, authorities say. The blazes have forced thousands to flee their homes.

Most of the largest wildfires are between 47 and 68 percent contained, with three almost fully controlled, CalFire said.

However a 1,200-acre (485 hectare) blaze dubbed the Tassajara fire that broke out Saturday afternoon in Monterey County, along the state’s central Pacific coast, is only 10 percent contained, the department reported early Sunday.

The weather also refuses to collaborate, with hot and dry conditions forecast throughout the weekend across the state.