Oroville Fire: Dangerous heat wave gripped California
As a dangerous heat wave gripped California, firefighters across the state grappled with numerous wildfires, some of which forced evacuations.
Northern California remained under a red flag warning, indicating extreme fire weather conditions, with gusty winds, low humidity, and high temperatures that could lead to dangerous fire behavior.
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. implemented its first public safety power shutdowns of the year, impacting around 2,000 customers across eight counties, to prevent its infrastructure from triggering fires amid the hazardous weather conditions.
The Thompson fire in Butte County emerged as the largest, rapidly expanding to nearly 100 acres by midday Tuesday, predominantly scorching grasslands. While no structures had been harmed, approximately 230 buildings in the vicinity were under threat.
The Toll fire in Napa County near Calistoga erupted, growing to about 50 acres by the afternoon, fueled by strong winds. This fire led to road closures, evacuation mandates, and warnings affecting over 100 individuals.
Fire officials
Fire officials cautioned that the dry conditions, combined with the prevalent red flag warning, created a conducive environment for further fire outbreaks. The abundance of dry grass and brush following consecutive heavy precipitation winters heightened the risk of wildfires once vegetation dried out completely.
Experts like Daniel Swain, a climate scientist from UCLA, expressed concerns about the likelihood of escalating wildfires due to the hot temperatures, dry fuels, and recent holiday-related activities like fireworks. Swain anticipated a significant surge in California’s fire season over the upcoming week.
In eastern San Diego County, the McCain fire near Interstate 8, which started on Monday, continued to spread, scorching about 1,000 acres with minimal containment. Multiple evacuations were enforced, impacting roughly 140 individuals, with authorities attributing the fire’s origin to a probable traffic collision.
Further north, smaller fires like Denverton fire Solano County and the Yolla in Shasta County also ignited on Tuesday, while crews battled the sizable Basin fire in the Sierra National Forest in Fresno County, which had consumed over 13,000 acres by Tuesday, with 17% containment achieved.
The Basin fire posed a threat to the Balch Camp community, leading to the evacuation of over 150 residents, although PG&E confirmed its infrastructure in the area remained unaffected. Efforts to contain the fire were ongoing, with authorities anticipating several more days of firefighting before full control could be established
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