Helicopter pilot dies in California wild fire

US authorities say the pilot of a helicopter fighting fires in California has died after his aircraft crashed.

The pilot was the only person on board the water-dropping helicopter, which crashed near the city of Coalinga.

California governor, Gavin Newsom, has declared a state of emergency as authorities’ battle hundreds of blazes.

Thousands of people have had to flee their homes in areas near San Francisco after several quick-moving wildfires swept into the region.

The blazes are thought to have been sparked by a heatwave combined with nearly 11,000 lightning strikes which have hit the state over the last three days.