LOS ANGELES, USA: California is grappling with its largest wildfire of the year, known as the Park Fire, which has already scorched more than 370,000 acres—an area larger than Los Angeles. This massive blaze, which started outside Chico in Northern California on Wednesday, has become one of the state’s largest fires in history.
The fire is currently 12 percent contained, with nearly 4,900 firefighters, 33 helicopters, 400 fire trucks, and multiple planes deployed to combat it. Despite a slight drop in temperatures over the weekend aiding their efforts, the situation remains dire. Approximately 4,200 residents are under evacuation orders as authorities urge extreme caution due to the fire’s unpredictable behavior.
The Park Fire has rapidly advanced, fueled by exceptionally dry vegetation and multiple recent heat waves. Extreme weather conditions and a lack of recent fires in the area have provided ample fuel for the blaze. The fire’s intensity has been marked by fire tornadoes and large smoke clouds.
The Park Fire has revived memories of the 2018 Paradise fire, which resulted in 85 deaths. With the fire’s origin traced to arson, a 42-year-old man has been taken into custody. The U.S. is currently battling around 100 large fires, with air quality alerts issued due to the widespread smoke.
Scientists link the increasing frequency of such extreme fires to climate change and fossil fuel reliance, highlighting an urgent need for climate action.
Source link : https://wenewsenglish.pk/californias-park-fire-escalates-a-growing-crisis/
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Publish date : 2024-07-30 04:30:18
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