Destructive fires - California wildfire is growing rapidly
A severe wildfire spread massively in the northern part of California over the weekend, according to Cal Fire. The agency reported that over 1400 square kilometers were affected on Saturday evening (local time), which is more than the area of the city of Los Angeles.
Since Friday, the so-called "Park" fire north of Sacramento has nearly doubled in size. Cal Fire announced on the platform X that it is now the seventh largest fire in California's history.
More than 4000 buildings are threatened by the flames according to the authorities. At least 20 destroyed buildings were confirmed during an initial damage assessment on site. The numbers could increase in the coming days.
Weather supports firefighting efforts
According to the "Los Angeles Times", firefighting efforts advanced somewhat on Saturday due to cooler weather. Temperatures, which had reached over 37 degrees Celsius on Friday, had dropped to nearly 30 degrees. Additionally, humidity had increased.
"We're taking advantage of this weather", quoted the Times a fire department spokesperson. Over 1000 additional firefighters, some from other states, were deployed on Saturday. By evening (local time), the fire was reportedly 10% contained.
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, there are currently 86 major fires in the US. Most of them are in Oregon, the neighboring state of California. According to authorities, a pilot crashed with his firefighting aircraft on Friday and died.
Experts warn, given the effects of climate change, that fires will occur more frequently and cause more destruction.
The United States of America's Cal Fire is actively battling the massive forest fire in northern California, which has engulfed an area larger than Los Angeles. The "Park" fire, located north of Sacramento, has become the seventh largest fire in California's history, growing significantly since Friday. The cooler weather and increased humidity over the weekend have aided firefighting efforts, allowing additional firefighters from different states to join the cause. Efforts have resulted in the fire being reportedly 10% contained by evening. Post-fire, Erasure work will be necessary to restore affected regions.
