In California, the fight against a wildfire in Yosemite National Park continues. A state of emergency has now been declared in the affected area. The so-called Oak Fire, which raged for some 48 square kilometers in the Mariposa neighborhood Saturday evening (local time), destroyed ten buildings and damaged five others. More than 6,000 people had to leave their homes and apartments.
Extreme drought, strong winds and high temperatures had led to a rapid spread. Footage shows a building on fire and trees blazing with smoke, surrounded by thick plumes of smoke.
A man told CNN that his parents’ house had burned down in the fire. They had lived in their building in Mariposa for 37 years. “It’s very sad to see the house I grew up in is gone,” he said. “That hits you hard.”
2100 emergency services fight against flames
Nearly 2,700 other homes are threatened by the fire that broke out Friday afternoon for unknown reasons. Thousands of residents had to get to safety. Nearly 2,100 emergency services are fighting the flames with 225 fire trucks and 17 helicopters.
The southwestern United States has been struggling with several wildfires for weeks, which authorities say are beneficial to the ongoing drought.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
