One of the biggest wildfires of the year in California has forced residents to flee for their lives before their homes are destroyed.
Key points:
- Thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate since a fast-moving wildfire started on Friday
- The uncontrolled fire has consumed 6,314 hectares, more than half the area of Paris
- As of Sunday evening, it was still more than 10 miles from Yosemite National Park
Residents of remote mountain communities near Yosemite National Park described the moments they realized their lives and homes were under threat.
Rodney Maguire told television station KXTV that he had already lost his home and saved only a few possessions.
“I had enough time to get birth certificates, my DB 214 (military discharge papers), my parents’ photo,” he said.
Maguire is among the thousands of residents who have been forced to evacuate since a fast-moving wildfire started Friday less than a kilometer from the municipality of Mariposa Pones.
By Sunday evening, the uncontrolled fire had consumed 6,314 hectares, more than half the size of Paris, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).
Cars have been destroyed in Jerseydale. (AP: Noah Berger)
But it was still more than 10 miles from Yosemite, famous for its giant, ancient sequoia trees.
About 2,000 firefighters battled the blaze along with aircraft and bulldozers, facing harsh conditions that included steep terrain, sweltering temperatures and low humidity.
“It’s hot again today,” Cal Fire spokeswoman Natasha Fouts said Sunday.
“And the moisture levels in the fuel are very low.”
A tanker goes down late as it tries to stop the fire from progressing in Mariposa County. (AP: Noah Berger)
Crews on the ground protected homes as air tankers dropped retardant on 15-foot flames running along ridges east of the small community of Jerseydale.
Light winds blew embers forward on tree branches “and because it’s so dry it’s easy for local fires to get established and that’s what fuels the growth,” Ms Fouts said.
Officials described “explosive fire behavior” on Saturday as flames tore through bone-dry vegetation caused by the worst drought in decades.
A firefighter stands on top of a fire engine shortly after going on duty to fight the blaze. (AP: Noah Berger)
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
There were evacuations for more than 6,000 people living in the Sierra Nevada foothills, though a handful of residents defied the orders and stayed behind, said Adrienne Freeman of the US Forest Service.
Local Jerry Cal told KXTV he was under evacuation orders, but wasn’t sure if he would go.
“This is our home. I feel like we’re going to do what we can to at least have a chance,” he said.
AP/Reuters