A series of wildfires, exacerbated by winds and heat, continued unabated in Northern California, baffling efforts by firefighters to contain the fires, authorities said on Friday.
A blaze known as the Humboldt Fire that started Wednesday in Butte County has grown to 20,484 acres (about 8,215 hectares), destroying 40 homes and threatening 4,600 structures, fire officials said.
More than 1,300 firefighters in 78 engines, plus helicopters and air tankers, were fighting the blaze this morning, which was only 15 percent contained, said California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokeswoman Alisha Herring.
After winds shifted Thursday, flames moved toward the city of Paradise, population 30,000, about 90 miles (144 kilometers) north of the state's capital Sacramento. Fire officials have since ordered evacuations for southern Paradise, Butte Valley and Butte Creek Canyon, home to about 1,500 people, Herring said.
So far, only five minor injuries associated with the fire have been reported by firefighters and civilians, Herring said.
She said firefighters were having difficulty holding off the flames this morning due to rising winds.
"The winds are making it very difficult to allow the crews to get ahead of the fire," she said, "[with] spotting in multiple directions because of the wind shifts."
As winds pick up this afternoon, Herring said fire officials also expect temperatures to reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Source: Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article