Keystone-SDA
A gigantic forest fire that has been raging in California for two days has ravaged more than 28,300 hectares on Friday. More than 600 firefighters strive to master it.
(Keystone-ATS) The “Madre Fire” broke out on Wednesday in the county of San Luis Obispo, a rural region of the center of the State. About 200 people are under the evacuation order and a few dozen buildings are threatened by the flames.
“In the past 24 hours, 15 new fires broke out on Federal Lands from Modoc to Klamath via Trinity,” said California governor Gavin Newsom, on X.
The fire has embraced more than 28,300 hectares since Wednesday. More than 600 firefighters and 40 firefighters were mobilized to circumscribe it, according to the last update of Cal Fire, the state fire fighting service.
The images of the state alert system show thick columns of black smoke overlooking the hills of this hilly region. “The State will always be present to protect all communities, whatever the place where a fire is declared,” said on X Gavin Newsom, announcing the sending of reinforcements.
Abnormally dry winter and spring
This fire occurs after several other fires triggered in recent days, which have caused evacuations in the region east of Los Angeles and have a difficult summer in California. The state is still traumatized by the fires that ravaged the megalopolis and killed 30 people in January.
Winter and spring have been abnormally dry in southern California, and vegetation is already dried up as if it was the middle of summer, recently noted Daniel Swain, specialist in extreme events in UCLA, in a blog post.
“Given the forecasts announcing an even more intense and generalized heat at the end of the summer, this month or these two months ahead of the degree of dry vegetation will have a strong impact on the combustion conditions later in the season. »»
Budget cuts
This increased risk comes at a time when Donald Trump implements important budget cuts and layoffs at the Forest Agency, the American Oceanic and Atmospheric Observation Agency (NOAA) and FEMA, the Federal Disaster Management Agency.
On Wednesday, Governor Newsom, a possible presidential camp for the Democrat, for 2028, accused Trump of not finishing enough brushcutting operations and controlled fires to prevent fires.
“Trump has to wake up and start funding federal firefighters and land management teams in these rural communities – instead of granting tax reductions to billionaires,” added Mr. Newsom on X. “Trump’s incompetence ends in danger”.
