Tens of thousands flee fierce wildfires across California
Wildfires raged across California yesterday, wreaking havoc as more than 1,000 firefighters tackled blazes in the state’s southern part alone.
Tens of thousands of residents near Santa Clarita, north of Los Angeles, fled their homes as the so-called Tick Fire scorched 1,618 hectares and was only 10 per cent contained by Friday evening.
All schools in the area were closed, as was a major motorway.
New evacuations in the area were ordered early on Friday as the fire spread fast, driven by “Santa Ana” winds of up to 105 kilometres per hour.
About 1,325 firefighters backed by air tankers and helicopters battled the flames that raced towards densely packed communities and threatened 10,000 buildings, officials said.
Six homes were destroyed, and Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby said the number was expected to rise.
At least four other fires have erupted in southern California this week, fuelled by temperatures above 30°C and bone-dry conditions.
A red-flag warning was in effect for more than 18 million people in the southern part of the state until Friday evening.
The National Weather Service said that although wind speeds were set to decrease later on Friday, they were expected to pick up again today and tomorrow in Southern California.
“It looks like another Santa Ana is coming,” meteorologist Eric Boldt said.
Still, he said the state remained “critically dry” with little humidity, creating an environment ripe for the rapid growth of blazes.
Wildfires are also raging in northern California. The most serious – the Kincade Fire – broke out late on Wednesday in the Sonoma wine region, also prompting evacuations.
The high risk of fires has led to pre-emptive power cuts to thousands of customers and prompted California governor Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency in Sonoma and Los Angeles counties.
Mr Newsom travelled to Sonoma on Friday to survey areas affected by the Kincade Fire, which has grown to 9,591 hectares and was only five per cent contained as of Friday evening.
The blaze, which is burning in remote, steep terrain, has destroyed almost 50 buildings and forced the relocation of the community of Geyserville and nearby vineyards.
Mr Newsom said the area looked like a “war zone”, with homes and vehicles destroyed.
Residents said they barely had time to gather their belongings as the ferocious fire approached their homes.
“We looked up the hill and couldn’t believe what we saw,” ranch owner Dwight Monson, 68, told the Los Angeles Times.
He said the fire moved about 22 kilometres in five hours before destroying four homes and a barn on his property.
The state’s largest utility company, Pacific Gas & Electric, said millions of people in northern and central parts of the state could have their power cut off during the weekend given the high risk of fire.
The company has come under scrutiny after it reported on Thursday that although power to almost 28,000 customers in Sonoma County had been shut down on Wednesday, some of the high-voltage transmission lines were still operating when the fire broke out.
One ranch owner said the fire moved about 22 kilometres in five hours before destroying four homes on his property