Two days after the fire, more than 14,200 acres of land had been burnt. (Representative)
United States of america:
A fierce California wildfire burned several thousand acres early Sunday and forced evacuations, as tens of millions of Americans scorched with already record-setting temperatures due to the scorching heat climbing even higher.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) said in a report that more than 2,000 firefighters supported by 17 helicopters have been deployed against the Oak Fire, which occurred near Yosemite National Park on Friday.
Two days after the blaze had already consumed more than 14,200 acres (5,750 ha) and remained at zero percent, the report said the heat combined with low humidity dented Sunday’s efforts. will “interrupt”.
“Extreme drought conditions have made fuel moisture levels critical,” Cal Fire reported.
Described by officials as “explosive”, the fire has left ashes, destroyed vehicles and mutilated remains of properties in its wake, as emergency personnel rushed to evacuate residents and protect structures in its path. has worked.
It has already destroyed 10 properties and damaged five others, while thousands are at risk.
Hector Vasquez, a Cal Fire official, said more than 6,000 people had been evacuated.
“When we left it was scary because ashes were pouring on us but we had such a view of this billowing. It looked like it was above our house and coming our way really quickly,” One woman who had to be evacuated, Linda Reynolds-Brown, told local news station KCRA.
“We started getting our stuff together and that’s when I went back up the hill and looked and I was like, ‘Oh my god.’ It was coming fast,” her husband, Aubrey Brown, told the station.
California Governor Gavin Newsom on Saturday declared a state of emergency in Mariposa County, citing “a situation of extreme danger to the safety of persons and property.”
In recent years, huge and fast-paced wildfires have ravaged California and other parts of the western United States, driven by years of drought and warm climates.
Gore blast ‘inaction’
Evidence of global warming can be seen elsewhere in the country, as 85 million Americans in more than a dozen states were under weekend heat advisories.
The crisis prompted former Vice President Al Gore, a tireless climate advocate, to issue a stern warning on Sunday about “inaction” by US lawmakers.
Asked whether he believed US President Joe Biden should declare a climate emergency as soon as Biden has said he might, Gore was blunt.
“Mother Nature has already declared this a global emergency,” he told the ABC News talk show “This Week.”
And “it’s due to be very, very bad, and early,” he said on NBC.
He also suggested that recent crises, including deadly heat waves in Europe, could serve as a wake-up call for members of Congress, who have so far refused to embrace efforts to combat climate change.
“I think these extreme events that keep getting worse and more serious are really starting to change minds,” he said.
The Central and Northeast US regions are bearing the brunt of ongoing extreme temperatures, which were not expected to peak until Sunday and have sent public health officials into a scuffle.
“Several record highs are expected to be set and/or broken in the northeast today as highs move past the century mark and the heat index is between 105-110 degrees (40.5-43.3 Celsius),” the National Weather Service said on Sunday.
From Boston to Philadelphia to Washington, a summer emergency is in force in cities up and down the Northeast Coast.
Even the generally cool Pacific Northwest won’t be able to escape the far-reaching heat, with the region expected to face several days in the 90s next week.
Cities have been forced to open cooling stations and increase access to the homeless and at-risk communities without access to air conditioning.
Recent months have seen extreme heat waves in various regions of the world, such as Western Europe in July and India in March to April, events that scientists say are a surefire sign of a warming climate.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)