A Forest fire devastates California. During the early hours of this Sunday, the fire has spread, burning thousands of hectares and forcing evacuations, while millions of Americans suffer a scorching heat that breaks records and is expected to it intensifies.
More of 2,000 firefighterssupported by 17 helicoptersare deployed against the fire, dubbed the Oak Fire, which broke out Friday in California, near the Yosemite National Park, has been reported by the California Forest Protection Service (CAL FIRE).
The flames are located about 48 kilometers from the national park, which a few weeks ago was affected by another fire that threatened its ancient sequoias, some of them up to 2,000 years and heights of almost 80 meters. “It’s gone from bad to worse,” says the county’s interactive map Twitter account.
In just two days since it was declared, the fire has already devastated more than 6,300 hectares. Authorities have assured that the fire is progressing fully uncontrolled because of the heat and low humidity, which “difficult” the extinction work. “The extreme consequences of drought have led to a critical level of combustibility,” reported the CAL FIRE department.
Considered “explosive” by the authorities, the fire leaves behind vehicles and houses destroyed, while emergency personnel work to evacuate residents and protect buildings threatened by advancing flames. have already been destroyed 10 propertiesfive were damaged and thousands are in danger.
“Dreadful”
More than 6,000 people, most of them residents of small counties, have been evacuated, according to the statements of the spokesman for the California fire department, quoted by the newspaper Los Angeles Times.
“It was scary when we left because ashes were falling on us (…) it seemed as if it was on top of our house and coming very fast in our direction,” he said. Lynda Reynolds-Brownone of the women evacuated, to the local news station KCRA. “We started to pack up our things, and that’s when I went back up the hill and I looked and I was like, ‘Oh my God.’ It was coming fast,” her husband Aubrey Brown told the same outlet. For his part, Hector Vasquez, a CAL FIRE official, told AFP that personnel from various departments throughout the state were arriving to help control this fire. The situation is “really complex“, has added.
The Governor of California, Gavin Newsomdeclared on Saturday the state of emergency in Mariposa County due to “conditions of extreme danger for the safety of persons and property.
Gore attacks “inaction”
The evidence of global warming could be seen in other parts of the country, since 85 million Americans from more than a dozen states received a extreme heat alert during the weekend.
The crisis led to Former Vice President Al Gore tireless defender of the fight against climate change, to issue stern warnings on Sunday about “inaction” by US lawmakers. Gore was final when asked if, as he promised, the president Joe Biden should declare a climate emergency. “Mother Nature has already declared a global emergency,” he said on the network. abcnews. And “quickly it’s going to get much worse,” she warned in another interview with the NBC.
Gore also indicated that the recent crises, including the deadly heat waves in Europeshould draw the attention of members of Congress, who have so far refused to take action against the climate change. “I think these extreme events, which are getting worse and more serious, are starting to change opinion,” he said.
“Scorching heat”
Central and Northeast USA are the regions most affected by extreme temperatures. “Scorching heat will continue in the mid-Atlantic and northeast tonight before a depression over Canada come down to the region tomorrow to moderate the temperatures a bit,” the National Metereological Service. But temperature drops are not expected in all regions. Temperatures greater than 37º centigrade may register in the next few days in parts of eastern Kansas and Oklahomasouth of Missouri and north of Arkansas.
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Not even the northwest, facing the Peaceful and usually cooler, it will escape the heat, as temperatures are forecast to “climb steadily over the next few days, leading to possible new records,” added the weather service.
Many cities were forced to open refrigeration stations and to increase protection for at-risk communities, such as the homeless and those without access to air conditioning. Northeastern cities such as Boston, Philadelphia and Washington have activated the emergency heat alert.
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Eddie is an Australian news reporter with over 9 years in the industry and has published on Forbes and tech crunch.