Historic California fire burned nearly 200,000 acres to ashes

“We are seeing a fire that even our veteran firefighters have not seen in their entire careers,” a California Fire Department spokesperson said. Washington Post. Named after the street in Plumas County where the fire broke out on July 13, it has now reduced nearly 198,000 acres to ashes.

Five thousand firefighters were deployed to contain the fire. Three were injured. The danger has not yet passed. According to the authorities, about 21 percent of the fire is under control. It may take weeks for a fire to be completely extinguished.

In recent days, historic Greenville, which was founded in the 19th century during the California gold rush, is almost completely on fire. There are no known deaths, although three residents are still missing.

The secluded town of the Indian Valley breathed the ambiance of the Classic West with its classic buildings, as if time had stopped there. The population lived mainly from livestock. “It’s hard to explain,” said Mr. Kelly of nearby Crescent Mills. New York times. “It was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.”

On Sunday, thick smoke in the northern California forests began to dissipate. As a result, the temperature will rise to about 38 degrees Celsius in the coming days. There is a possibility that the fire will catch on again. At the same time, emergency services will soon be better able to deploy planes and helicopters. “Once the skies are clear, we can fly again,” a US Forest Service spokesperson said.

The cause of the Dixie fire remains unknown. It may have caught fire after a tree fell on a power cable. Then it became able to spread easily due to severe drought and strong winds. Ten more wildfires are currently raging in the state. “We simply have to admit that these fires are fueled by climate change,” California Governor Gavin Newsom told CNN.

According to scientists, the warming of the climate has made the region warmer and drier over the past 30 years. Five of California’s largest wildfires since records began in 1932 date back to the past five years. The most violent was the so-called “August Composite Fire” of the past year. It was created by the fusion of more than thirty fires after a lightning strike.