California wildfires are burning 5,000 acres per hour

California wildfires are burning 5,000 acres per hour

[ad_1]

“Firenado” sweeps through California as wildfires spread

A massive wildfire has grown at 20 square miles per hour as it spreads across northern California.

The Park Fire, which started Wednesday in a suspected arson incident, has burned more than 350,000 acres northeast of Chico, and was 10 percent contained as of Sunday morning, state fire officials said.

About 3,700 firefighters are battling the blaze, which has been fueled by steep terrain and strong winds.

A 42-year-old man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of starting a fire by rolling a burning car into a canyon near Alligator Hole in Butte County.

It is now the largest wildfire in the state this year, and the seventh largest on record in California. It occupies an area more than 1.5 times the size of five New York City boroughs.

Fire Captain Robert Foxworthy said the steep terrain and very few roads made fighting the fire a challenge. He said the size of the fire was made worse by the dumping of coal “a long distance” before the main fire, which started many fires.

Cal Fire incident manager Billy See said the fire spread at a speed of 5,000 hectares per hour.

Reuters A satellite image shows a residential area affected by the Park Fire, in Chico, California, US, on July 26Reuters
Getty Images A burned vehicle billows smoke in the Paynes Creek area of ​​Tehama County, California, during the Park Fire on July 27, 2024. Getty Images

Car burners have been set in the Paynes Creek area of ​​Tehama County

EPA Smoke from Park FireEPA

Speaking at a working forum, Mr See said there were almost three times as many firefighters on Saturday compared to Friday, and “we still don't have enough”.

Cal Fire Fire Specialist Scott Weese said there was fuel in the grassy area.

“The heat signature is huge,” he told a briefing, adding that the fire had burned 150,000 hectares yesterday.

Authorities were hoping to use Saturday's easing of conditions to contain more blazes.

Wind speeds have dropped and temperatures have dropped about 3-4C, but are still hovering in the low 30s (90F) in some areas.

Cal Fire said lower temperatures and higher humidity have slowed the fire's spread, but it is still growing in some areas.

On Saturday, officials said the chance of a firestorm had diminished after an unusual “fire” – a mass of flames and ash billowing from intense heat and strong winds – was recorded in the wilderness the day before.

Reuters The Park Fire burned a building and a car near ChicoReuters

The Park Fire destroyed a building and a car near Chico

EPA The charred remains were destroyed by the Park FireEPA

Charred left behind the Park fire

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday declared a state of emergency in Butte and Tehama counties because of the Park fire.

On Saturday, the governor announced new aid for Tehama County. State aid for Butte County was announced earlier in the week.

“This is already one of the largest wildfires in California history, and we continue to see dangerous conditions – our firefighters and first responders are working around the clock to protect our communities. Californians should heed the warning from local authorities and take steps to stay safe. ”

At least 16 helicopters are battling the blaze, with dozens of air tankers dropping water from the sky if conditions permit.

The wildfires forced evacuations in Butte, where California's worst blaze, the Camp Fire, killed more than 80 people in 2018.

About 400 people in Cohasset have already been evacuated as the fire burns out of control.

Cal Fire said 134 structures were destroyed, and 4,200 are at risk.

Officials arrested Ronnie Dean Stout, 42, and accused him of “calmly leaving the area to join other residents who were in the area fleeing the fire that quickly broke out” he had started.

He is being held without bail as authorities determine what charges he will face.

A woman who answered the door of a mobile home listed as her home address in Chico told the newspaper San Francisco Chronicle that the prosecutors are “trying to make him a scapegoat”.

“They say he did it on purpose but he didn't. The car was burnt to the ground,” said the unnamed woman before refusing to answer further questions.

Getty Images Fire moves along Highway 36 as the Park Fire continues to burn near Paynes Creek in unincorporated Tehama County, California on July 26, 2024.Getty Images

The Park Fire is one of the hottest fires in the US and Canada.

The National Interagency Fire Center is currently monitoring 102 large fires in the US, mostly in the west coast states.

In Oregon, a firefighting pilot died in a tanker plane crash after the plane went missing Thursday night.

In Canada, a massive wildfire in Jasper National Park has destroyed hundreds of buildings the town of Jasper.

Weekend conditions improved in Jasper, with rain and cooler temperatures helping efforts to protect parts of the historic tourist town.

Have you been affected by fires?

Please include a contact number if you wish to speak to a BBC reporter.

You can contact us in the following ways:

Email: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803

Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay

[ad_2]

Source link

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *