A fire struck a mountain town in the northern US state of California, leaving much of the city center to ash and demolishing several houses.
A Dixie fire, fueled by dry vegetation and 40 mph wind gusts, hit the northern Sierra Nevada city of Greenville on Wednesday evening. A gas station, hotel and bar were destroyed, as well as many other infrastructure.
“We did our best. Sometimes that’s not enough, ”said firefighters spokesman Mitch Matlow.
As steam gathered on the north and east sides of the fire, the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office posted about 800 city residents on Facebook, urging them to leave their homes.
The fire that started in mid-June it is considered the largest in the California state, claiming more than 1,127 square kilometers, dozens of houses burned down.
Earlier this week, about 5,000 firefighters rescued several homes that are threatened by fire.
“More vehicles and bulldozers have also been ordered to intensify the fighting. On Wednesday, the fire engulfed thousands of hectares and more than 4,000 people were forced to flee, with nearly 26,500 people from various counties receiving evacuation orders, ”said Mitch Matlow.
The intense heat, low humidity and gusts of wind that erupted on Wednesday should continue to pose a threat tonight.
Mitch Matlow added that the fire broke out parallel to the section of the canyon that served as a chimney, making it so hot that huge clouds of smoke formed.
“These clouds bring chaotic winds, which makes the fire completely uncontrollable,” he said.
About 150 miles west of the Dixie fire, a lightning-triggered McFarland fire threatened remote homes along the Trinity River in the Shasta Trinity National Forest.
Historical heatwaves and droughts caused by climate change have made it difficult to manage wildfires on the west coast of the United States of America.
Scientists say climate change has made the region hotter and drier over the past 30 years.
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, more than 20,000 firefighters and support personnel are fighting 97 major active wildfires in an area of 7,560 square kilometers in 13 US states.
