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Firefighters Battling Elements In California Wildfire
San Francisco (AFP) June 27, 2007 Firefighters tackling a massive blaze in northern California were bracing for a backlash from the weather on Wednesday, with forecasted gusty winds threatening to spread the inferno. More than 1,800 firefighters were battling Wednesday to contain the fire, which erupted Sunday near the southern tip of Lake Tahoe, a popular tourist spot 304 kilometers (189 miles) northeast of San Francisco. By 8:00 am (1500 GMT) Wednesday, the fire had scorched 3,100 acres (1,254 hectares), destroyed more than 225 structures -- including 176 homes -- and forced the evacuation of around 2,000 local residents. A further 950 residences and 350 commercial businesses were threatened by the fire, which was only 44 percent contained, US Forest Service fire information officer Barbara Rebiske told AFP. Firefighters suffered a setback on Tuesday when wind-driven flames leapt across containment lines before eventually being extinguished. And with the combination of strong winds and low humidity forecast for Wednesday, firefighters faced another gruelling day at the office. "The immediate concern is going to be the weather today," Rebiske said. "The wind is expected to be quite strong today and with the low humidity that could create problems." California officials on Monday declared a state of emergency in the area affected by the fire, which local officials have described as the worst in memory. Forestry service officials said the exact cause of the fire had not been pinned down but said the blaze was "almost certainly" the result of human activity. No injuries have been reported in the fire so far. US fire and forestry officials have been bracing for a severe fire season across California this year after a dry winter marked by record low rainfalls.
earlier related report According to news reports, the Angora Lakes Resort and hundreds of homes in the towns of Meyers and South Lake Tahoe, CA, have been evacuated. The fire has already destroyed over 275 homes and other structures and at least 1,000 remain in its path. Two injuries have been attributed to the blaze. High winds have been detrimental to efforts to control the blaze. When the fire first broke out on June 24, wind gusts of up to 30 mph helped spread the fire from 700 acres to 2,000 in the space of three hours. Then on June 26, just after firefighters had begun to tame the blaze, gusting winds caused it to jump across a fire line and threaten additional buildings, according to fire officials. The National Weather Service is predicting more wind for the next few days, with gusts as high as 35 miles per hour. As of June 27, 2007, 44 percent of the fire had been contained. Fire officials hope for full containment by Sunday, July 1. Forest Service officials believe the blaze was ignited by human activity, but are not sure if it was set intentionally.
Source: Agence France-Presse Email This Article
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Mother Nature Aiding Firefighters In Massive California Blaze
San Francisco (AFP) June 26, 2007Mother Nature helped firefighters tackling a raging forest blaze near California's Lake Tahoe early Tuesday, with weather conditions helping to halt the advance of the flames, officials said. More than 1,800 firefighters were deployed in a full assault to contain the fire, which erupted Sunday near the southern tip of Lake Tahoe, a popular tourist spot 304 kilometers (189 miles) northeast of San Francisco. |
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