Seventh person dies in California fires as White House declares ‘major disaster’
CALIFORNIA — A seventh person died in a northern California wildfire on Saturday, officials said, as a couple of other fast-growing wildfires in the state expanded by more than 25 percent overnight and continued to spread.
The White House announced on Sunday morning that US President Donald Trump declared that a major disaster exists in California, a move that makes it easier for residents, businesses, cities and counties to gain access to federal money, food aid and other programs.
“Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property loses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster,” the White House said.
More residents were ordered to evacuate their homes as weary firefighters endured high temperatures and gusting winds.
The Carr fire, about 261 km north of Sacramento, claimed the life of a power company lineman on Saturday, according to a CBS affiliate citing a spokesman for the PG&E Corporation. Neither a spokesman with the electric company nor fire officials were immediately available for comment.
The Carr fire, one of the most destructive in California history, had already killed six people, including a greatgrandmother and two children, and a firefighter and bulldozer operator.
Two other blazes collectively called the Mendocino Complex burned in Lake and Colusa counties, about 144 km north of San Francisco. The River and Ranch fires had grown to cover a total of 92,600 hectares by early Saturday, and were considered 34 percent contained.
The scorched land figure is expected to rise when the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) issues an update, spokeswoman Tricia Austin said.
Just beginning
This year, California wildfires have burned more land earlier in the “fire season” than usual, said Ken Pimlott, Cal Fire director, during a news conference on Saturday.
“Fire season is really just beginning. What seems like we should be in the peak of fire season, historically, is really now the kind of conditions we’re seeing really at the beginning,” said Pimlott.
California Governor Jerry Brown, who visited some of the burned areas on Saturday, said: “This is part of a trend, the new normal, that we’ve got to deal with”.
Through last week, California fires had torched about 117,300 hectares, more than double the five-year average over that same period, according to Cal Fire.
The Mendocino Complex fires cover more than twothirds the size of Los Angeles. They have forced the evacuation of more than 20,000 residents and destroyed more than 100 structures.
More evacuations were ordered on Saturday afternoon, but no estimate of people involved was released.
Firefighters by Saturday morning had managed to contain 41 percent of the Carr blaze and authorities were allowing some evacuees to return, Cal Fire said.