Thousands flee as US wildfire tears through California
Fast-expanding fire injures four firefighters and forces thousands of people to evacuate most-populous state in US.
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| Authorities said four firefighters have suffered burns while battling the fast-moving wildfire [AP] |
13 Sep 2015 AJ
A
state of emergency has been declared in the northern areas of the US
state of California as a fast-expanding wildfire injured four
firefighters and forced thousands of people to evacuate small towns.
California
Governor Jerry Brown issued the order on Sunday as mandatory
evacuations were carried out in an area of about 3,000 residents.
The
injured firefighters were hospitalised with second-degree burns after
they were dropped off by helicopter to build containment lines against
the so-called Valley Fire, which broke out on Saturday in Lake County,
north of San Francisco .
Chasing Fire
The
blaze with zero containment raced through several towns overnight after
exploding in size within hours in hot weather and drought conditions.
An
Associated Press photographer reported seeing dozens of homes destroyed
and a complex with roughly 40 apartments burned to the ground.
State authorities also said at least 5,000 people were without power, and several residents said they also had no running water.
Fire officials were not able to confirm the number of structures burned.
The
Valley Fire, with 1,000 personnel assigned to fight it, is the latest
in a string of large and destructive wildfires that have ripped through
drought-stricken brush and forest on the West Coast of the United States
over the summer.
Firefighters
were battling 13 active fires in California including the 40,000-acre
Valley Fire, which was zero percent contained and the 65,215-acre Butte
Fire, which was 20 percent contained on Sunday.
Governor
Brown previously declared an emergency in two rural areas, where the
Butte Fire began on Wednesday, destroying 86 homes and forcing the
evacuation of thousands of residents since.
Source: Agencies
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