Evacuees Brave Heat to Flee California’s Lightning-caused Firestorms
The US state of California has been hit by wildfires in recent years. The blaze burned many buildings and structures in California and forced thousands to flee their homes.
Authorities in the state of California say there have been 11,000 lightning strikes in the 72 hours since last Wednesday, resulting in 373 fires. Two dozen major fires have occurred. Authorities said the blaze was the result of record temperatures.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has already declared a state of emergency in the wake of the blaze. He said he asked for 365 fire engines from Arizona, Nevada and Texas. “We’re seeing a situation we haven’t seen in years,” said Gavin Newsom.
Twenty-six miles east of the town of Palo Alto, California, some wildfires have burned 65,000 acres, doubling the size last Wednesday night, Reuters reports. Thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes.
In addition, wildfires continue to rage in Northern California. Four people were killed in the blaze in the area till Thursday. At least 72,000 residents have been forced to leave their homes. The California Fire Department is continuing its efforts to bring the fire under control. The news was reported by The New York Times.
As of yesterday, more than 400,000 acres in northern and central California had been burned, Cal Fire authorities said. Extremely hot weather prevails in these areas and lightning sets many places on fire. The fire then spread to a wide area due to strong winds.
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