The late McKinney, which has been raging since Friday, extends over nearly 23,000 hectares, in the north of the American state. Authorities warn that the number of victims could further increase.
Le Monde with AFP
A fire called “McKinney” has been raging since Friday, July 29 in northern California, and has already sowed death in its path.
“We have four confirmed deaths, and this number could change,” a spokesperson for the Siskiyou County Sheriff, on Tuesday August 2 agency. emergency has been declared.
“McKinney”, the largest fire of the year in this West American State, extends over 22,700 hectares, and in particular threatens the small town of Yreka. It remained, on Tuesday, out of control.
Sunday morning, the bodies of two deceased had been discovered in a calcined vehicle. On Monday, two additional victims were found in two separate residences, according to a tweet from the sheriff’s office.
At least 3,000 people are affected by evacuation orders around the locality of Klamath River, near the border with the State of Oregon. “Our goal today is to communicate effectively to people, and we ask them to obey evacuation orders,” said the spokesperson. “Our priority is to protect human lives and properties.”
brief lull
“When we left, everything was on fire,” said Sherri Marchetti-Perrault in Los Angeles Times. “It happened so quickly. We left with only our clothes on the back. We could not breathe or see anything.”
Since Sunday evening, fire fighters have benefited from a brief lull offered by better weather conditions, with lower temperatures and scattered precipitation. But optimism remains relative, because an alert of meteorological services remains active due to the threat of lightning linked to the expected arrival of new thunderstorms
“The vegetation in the area is extremely dry and the threat continues for thunderstorms, and strong and unpredictable winds going with it, could cause an resurgence of fire,” warned the California fire control agency.
persistent dryness
Bulldozers were positioned to protect the buildings near the city of Yreka and its 8,000 inhabitants, approximately. Despite the danger, some residents preferred to wait for the last moment before leaving.
“I hold on, and try not to leave too early because I help my mother who is not in good physical health to move,” told AFP, Rafael Franco, a resident having received a compulsory evacuation order. “If, at the last minute, I see the fire cross the crest where we are, then we will catch what we can and leave, and we will advance hoping that everything is going well,” he adds.
Marjie Lawrence, who has in a hurry Klamath River on Friday night, said he was later returned to his house to take personal effects. “We took business in case the house is completely burning, things we wanted, but not enough,” she said.
The fire season in California, a state in a situation of persistent drought, is expected to last several months. The frequency and strength of these fires are exacerbated by global warming.