Devastating fires in the United States
California undergoes its biggest fire of the year
The American state fears a dangerous summer with the rapid spread of flames which ravaged almost 213 km² in 24 hours.
Over 300 firefighters fight against the flames in California.
AFP/Guillermo Arias
More than 300 firefighters are fighting Thursday against the most big fire of the year in California, which fears a particularly dangerous summer, when Donald Trump cuts in federal agencies responsible for fighting climatic disasters.
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.
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But more than potential damage, it is the speed of spread of this fire that impresses: in 24 hours, it ravaged almost 213 km2according to the latest Bulletin of the Calfire agency.
The images of the state alert system show thick columns of black smoke overlooking the hills of this hilly region.
A state traumatized by fires
“The state will always be present to protect all the communities, regardless of the place where a fire is declared,” said the office of the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, announcing the sending of reinforcements.
This fire occurs after Several other fires Raised in recent days, which have caused evacuations in the region east of Los Angeles and have a difficult summer in California.
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The state is still traumatized who ravaged the megalopolis and killed 30 people in January.
Winter and spring were abnormally dry in southern California, and the vegetation has 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.
“No beautiful speeches”
“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.”
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, 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.
“We need an equivalent commitment in terms of resources, not beautiful speeches,” he tackled, recalling that “57% of the land of this state are under the jurisdiction of the federal government”.
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