California wildfire: Dozens airlifted from national forest
September 6, 2020
Hundreds of campers staying at a popular reservoir had to be rescued, as a wildfire quickly spread in California's Sierra National Forest. The region is undergoing an extreme, record-setting heat wave.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Ringo H. W. Chi
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Military helicopters in the US state of California have rescued at least 63 campers who were trapped at a popular reservoir as a wildfire raged nearby.
Madera County Sheriff's Office said Sunday that close to 150 people were seeking assistance at the Mammoth Pool Reservoir in the Sierra National Forest, some 45 miles (70 kilometers) northeast of the city of Fresno.
US broadcaster CNN reported that at least 224 people had been evacuated or rescued from the Mammoth Pool Reservoir area.
"Aircraft are returning to continue rescue operations. Unknown how many more," the fire department said, adding that of those who were rescued, two were severely injured and 10 had moderate injuries.
The California National Guard used Chinook helicopters in the operation, National Guard Bureau chief General Daniel Hokanson said.
The Sierra National Forest has been crippled by the Creek Fire, which started on Friday in steep and rugged terrain. The out-of-control blaze has so far spread to 36,000 acres, state organization CalFire said.
Some 450 firefighters are currently battling the fire, along with three helicopters and three air tankers, CNN reported.
The El Dorado fire in southern California, which has burned more than 7,000 acres since it started on Saturday, was caused by pyrotechnics at a "gender reveal party," according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in San Bernardino. That fire, one of the largest in the region, was only 5% contained as of late Sunday.
On Sunday, State Governor Gavin Newsom also issued an emergency proclamation for counties hit by the Creek Fire, El Dorado Fire and the Valley Fire.
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Intense heat wave
California has been experiencing record-breaking high temperatures this weekend. The National Weather Service (NWS) warned of a heat wave carrying "rare, dangerous and very possibly fatal" temperatures across Southern California.
The National Weather Service recorded a high of 49.4 degrees Celsius (121 degrees Fahrenheit) at Woodland Hills in Los Angeles County, marking the highest official temperature ever recorded. The previous record was 48.3 degrees in July 2006.
It all comes as the state is recovering from mid-August heat wave and devastating wildfires that burned some 1.5 million acres in the last three weeks.
Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday declared a state of emergency. The proclamation allowed power plants to operate beyond normal limits through the three-day weekend, which ends Monday with the Labor Day holiday.
California wildfires: Governor requests international help to fight blazes
Tens of thousands of people have been forced from their homes after wildfires destroyed nearly 700 structures in northern and central California. Concern is growing that further lightning strikes will cause more blazes.
Image: Reuters/S. Lam
State resources stretched
Fire crews, surveillance equipment and other firefighting hardware has been despatched from Oregon, New Mexico and Texas to help fight the fires. "We simply haven't seen anything like this in many, many years," California Governor Gavin Newsom said, calling for Canada and Australia to send resources and support. "These fires are stretching our resources, our personnel.”
Image: Reuters/S. Lam
Major disaster
President Donald Trump has declared the fires a major disaster. The move allows federal funds to be used to help businesses and people affected by the fires, for example by providing crisis counseling and housing to victims.
Image: Reuters/Maxar Technologies
Blackened skies
The first fires broke out close to Los Angeles on August 12. Others have flared and spread through brushland, rural areas, canyon country and dense forest surrounding San Francisco. Two of the blazes are among the largest in California's history, and have each burned as much as 300 square miles (777 square kilometers).
Image: Reuters/S. Lam
Firefighting aircraft deployed
Overall, the state has responded to 585 wildfires that have burned through nearly a million acres (about 4,046 square kilometers). Planes have been deployed to drop fire retardant and help put out blazes. The wildfires have already killed six people, injured more than 30 others and forced more than 120,000 people from their homes.
Image: AFP/J. Edelson
Doubling in size
Some blazes have doubled in size within just a day. Many of them were
sparked by lightning strikes from thousands of brief thunderstorms that have hit the state since the weekend. One major fire (pictured) broke out near Vacaville, which lies between San Francisco and Sacramento. Fire crews that would normally work 24-hour shifts are putting in 72 hours at a time.
Image: picture-alliance/Zuma/P. Kitagaki
Homes ablaze
The fires have already destroyed 700 structures, including many homes, and are threatening 50,000 more, according to fire officials. The University of California, Santa Cruz has also been evacuated, and a new fire burning near Yosemite National Park prompted residents to flee.
Image: picture-alliance/Zuma/P. Kitagaki
Size of New York
Not even California's famous wine country south of Sacramento has been spared by the wildfires. The largest fire, known as the SCU Complex, east of Palo Alto, has now spread across 359 square miles, an area approaching the size of New York City.
Image: Reuters/S. Lam
Fires seen from space
A SWIR infrared satellite image shows the LNU Lightning Complex wildfire burning near Healdsburg in Sonoma County, in wine country. The fires are some of the largest in the state's history. Emergency officials admit firefighting efforts have been hampered by a shortage of resources, which are stretched statewide.
