2024-07-05 11:42:08
Thompson Fire Near Oroville Only 7% Contained.. 17,000 People Evacuated
Dozens of wildfires continue to burn in California amid heatwave, strong winds
The Thompson Fire in Northern California forced the evacuation of more than 20,000 people from the city of Oroville in Butte County, but the blaze has not spread further, weather officials said, raising concerns that it could intensify amid four days of intense heat and strong winds.
The Thompson Fire near Oroville remains at about the same level as last night, with a 7 percent containment rate, said Kevin Colburn, public information officer for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).
At one point, 26,000 residents were reported under evacuation orders, but the Burt County Public Information Office has now corrected that to 17,000.
Public Information Officer Cristi O’Leary said the fires were spreading so quickly that it was difficult to gather accurate statistics, which is why the report was misleading.
The Thompson Fire started around noon on the 2nd about 110km north of Sacramento and burned with such force that a huge black smoke was photographed from space, and it spread to an area of up to 14 square kilometers.
Additional damage is feared, with weather officials saying temperatures on the fourth day will reach 42 degrees Celsius, followed by more intense heat on the fifth and sixth days, said Chris Peterson, public information officer for Cal Fire.
Four large structures have been destroyed and more than 12,000 homes are threatened by the fire. It was not clear whether all of the structures were residential, but an AP photographer said he saw three rural homes standing side by side in the suburb of Oroville before they burned together.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Four firefighters were injured, all suffering burns or heat-related illnesses.
This area of Butte County was also hit hard by the Paradise Fire of similar scale in 2018. In 2017, heavy rains caused the Oroville Dam, one of the largest in the country, to overflow, forcing the evacuation of about 200,000 people.
“All I can say right now is we’re doing the best we can,” Oroville Mayor David Pittman said.
Fire officials warn that this is a peak wildfire season not only in California but also elsewhere in the U.S., where a nationwide heatwave is also sweeping the nation.
There are currently about a dozen wildfires, large and small, burning within California, the largest of which is the Basin Fire in Fresno County, which has burned 57 square kilometers and is 50% contained.
[오로빌( 미 캘리포니아주)= AP/뉴시스]
-
- great
- 0dog
-
- I’m so sad
- 0dog
-
- I’m angry
- 0dog
-
- I recommend it
- dog
Hot news right now
2024-07-05 11:42:08