An area larger than the city of Los Angeles has been consumed by the so-called “Park Fire”, the massive blaze that has been raging since Wednesday in northern California, USA.
The fire has burned nearly 500 square miles, according to the California Fire and Forest Service CalFire, making it one of the largest wildfires in state history.
Nearly 4,900 firefighters and 400 vehicles have been mobilized, while 33 helicopters and several Canadairs operate from the air.
No casualties have been reported so far and firefighters benefited from a slight drop in temperatures over the weekend, which allowed them to make some progress. The fire was brought under control at a rate of “12%”.
However, more than 26,000 people have been told to evacuate their homes, according to a CalFire spokesperson.
Damage to 100 buildings
Authorities are advising people to be extra careful as the situation could worsen at any time. The fire has already destroyed more than 100 buildings.
Its rapid spread is mainly due to the repeated heat waves that have hit California and the American West since early June.
Although the Sierra Nevada foothills experience frequent wildfires, the forested areas this fire is burning are in areas that have not seen fires in decades.
The massive fire brings back bad memories for residents of the town of Paradise, where 85 people lost their lives in 2018 in the deadliest wildfire in California history.
Arson charge
The fire was caused by arson, authorities said.
The suspect, a 42-year-old man with a criminal record, appeared in court yesterday to be formally charged.
The 42-year-old man was seen on Wednesday pushing and throwing “a car that caught fire into a ravine,” according to the local prosecutor’s office.
With information from APE-MPE, AFP