California’s largest fire burns homes as blazes scorch West

Date:

By Associated Press

INDIAN FALLS, Calif. (AP) — California’s largest wildfire merged with a smaller blaze and destroyed homes in rugged and remote areas, as numerous other fires burned across the U.S. West.

The Dixie Fire had already leveled over a dozen houses and other structures in Northern California when it combined with the Fly Fire and tore through the tiny community of Indian Falls after dark Saturday.

An updated damage estimate was not available Sunday, though fire officials said the blaze had charred more than 301 square miles (779 square kilometers) of timber and brush in Plumas and Butte counties. It was 21% contained.

The fire prompted evacuation orders in several small mountain communities and along the west shore of Lake Almanor, a popular resort area. More than 10,000 homes were under threat, officials said.

Firefighters also reported progress against the nation’s largest wildfire, the Bootleg Fire in southern Oregon, containing 53% of the blaze that had scorched 640 square miles (1,657 square kilometers) of land.

The lightning-caused fire has burned 67 homes, mainly cabins, and at least 2,000 houses were under evacuation orders.

Firefighters have been dealing with perilous fire behavior, with flames consuming huge areas of vegetation each day. Such conditions are often from a combination of unusual random, short-term and natural weather patterns heightened by long-term, human-caused climate change. Global warming has made the West much warmer and drier in the past 30 years.

In southwest Montana, officials were focusing on structure protection for three fires amid weather forecasts of rising temperatures, low humidity and westerly winds this week, factors that could produce explosive growth.

Crews were trying to protect about 200 homes and cabins and prevent the 44-square-mile (144-square-kilometer) Trail Creek blaze from reaching the Big Hole National Battlefield in Beaverhead County, fire spokesman Jason Nedlo said. The battlefield site, operated by the National Park Service, has been closed because of the fire threat.

Five federal firefighters were in stable condition Sunday after being burned when swirling winds blew a lightning-caused wildfire back on them in eastern Montana on Thursday. The five were building a defensive line at the Devil’s Creek Fire in Garfield County when the weather shifted suddenly.

Elsewhere in California, the 105-square-mile (272-square-kilometer) Tamarack Fire south of Lake Tahoe continued to burn through timber and chaparral and threatened communities on both sides of the California-Nevada state line. The fire, sparked by lightning July 4 in Alpine County, California, has destroyed at least 23 buildings, including more than a dozen in Nevada. It was 45% contained.

In north-central Washington, firefighters battled two blazes in Okanogan County that threatened hundreds of homes and again caused hazardous air quality conditions Saturday. And in northern Idaho, east of Spokane, Washington, a small fire near the Silverwood Theme Park prompted evacuations Friday evening at the park and in the surrounding area. The theme park was back open Saturday with the fire half contained.

More than 85 large wildfires were burning around the country, most of them in Western states. They had burned over 1.4 million acres (2,135 square miles, or more than 553,000 hectares).

Find your latest news here at the Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

1 COMMENT

  1. Too bad this wetback state doesn’t fall in the ocean, the government doesn’t care about Americans or your property, just fill their pockets with your tax dollars so they can eat like kings. America needs a civil war and it’s coming soon. Americans get your guns ready because democrats don’t care about Americans

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Share post:

Subscribe to The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

Popular

More like this
Related

Student Talent Takes Center Stage at San Bernardino County Honor Concerts

More than 650 student musicians from throughout San Bernardino County were selected to showcase their musical talents during three separate honor concerts

Writers Corner: Motivation

Brad from Rancho Cucamonga asks me to explain motivation. That may appear to be a dumb question, but it isn't. I've been asked that question a number of times.

$783K Awarded to Support Urban Agriculture and Farmers via Inland Empire Resource Conservation District

This week, the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Office of Farm to Fork announced $11.67 million in funding awards through their Urban Agriculture Program focused on urban and disadvantaged communities throughout the state.

Clergy Corner: Better Than $150,000.00?

 The Boston Marathon! What an amazing race! Back when I was in high school and spending a fair amount of time running track, my dad told me if I would prepare for the Boston Marathon and meet the qualifying time, he would sponsor me.