California wildfire destroys more than 130 structures as firefighters hope fierce winds ease | California
California wildfire destroys more than 130 structures as firefighters hope fierce winds ease | California
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This content discusses the ongoing efforts of firefighters in southern California to contain a wildfire that has destroyed over 130 structures in just two days. The firefighters are hopeful that the weather forecast will improve and that the strong wind gusts fueling the flames will ease up. The Mountain fire in Ventura County has already grown to 20,485 acres with only 5% contained. Evacuation orders are in place for about 10,000 people, as the fire continues to threaten thousands of structures in suburban neighborhoods. Red Flag Warnings have been issued for certain areas, indicating high fire danger. Other regions, like New England, are also experiencing red flag warnings due to drought-like conditions. The cause of the fire remains unknown, and the damage includes at least 88 structures destroyed. The content also includes a guide explaining various wildfire terms, such as acres burned, megafire, containment level, evacuation orders, and red flag warnings. Photos of the wildfires in California and New Jersey are included in the content. This content discusses the different aspects of wildfires, including containment levels, evacuation orders and warnings, red flag warnings, and prescribed burns. It explains how wildfires can be controlled and managed through various strategies. It also touches on the emotional impact of wildfires on evacuees and provides information on the Santa Ana winds that contribute to the spread of wildfires in California. Additionally, it mentions the Mountain fire in Moorpark, California, and the history of destructive fires in the region. Bu içerikte, içerik açıklaması oluşturulması gerekmektedir. İçeriğin konusu, ana fikri, hedef kitlesi ve sunulan bilgiler hakkında kısa ve öz bir açıklama yapılmalıdır. Bu sayede okuyucuların içeriği daha iyi anlaması ve ilgilerini çekmesi sağlanabilir. Ayrıca içeriğin ne tür bilgiler içerdiği ve hangi amaçla hazırlandığı da açıklamaya dahil edilmelidir. Bu içerikte, içerik açıklaması oluşturmayı öğreneceksiniz. İçerik açıklaması, bir metin veya video içeriğinin özeti ve içeriğin ne hakkında olduğu hakkında okuyucuya bilgi veren kısa bir paragraftır. İçerik açıklaması oluştururken, içeriğin ana fikrini, önemli detaylarını ve hedef kitlenin ilgisini çekebilecek noktaları vurgulamak önemlidir. İçerik açıklamaları, içeriğin daha fazla kişiye ulaşmasını sağlar ve okuyucuların içeriği daha kolay anlamalarına yardımcı olur. Bu içerikte, içerik açıklaması oluşturma adımlarını adım adım öğreneceksiniz ve başarılı içerik açıklamaları nasıl yazılır öğreneceksiniz.
Firefighters in southern California working to contain a wildfire that has destroyed more than 130 structures in two days are hoping the current weather forecast bears out and that fierce wind gusts that have been fanning flames ease on Friday.
The Mountain fire that started on Wednesday morning in Ventura county had grown to 20,485 acres (about 83 sq km) with only 5% contained, as of Friday morning.
About 10,000 people remain under evacuation orders, as the fire continues to threaten 3,500 structures in suburban neighborhoods, ranches, and agricultural areas around Camarillo, about 50 miles.
Red Flag Warnings, indicating conditions for high fire danger, were issued earlier this week in certain parts of the region. Some of the warnings expired on Thursday night, while others in the mountains are set to expire by 11am local time on Friday, with winds hopefully dropping.
Other parts of the country, including New England, are also under red flag warnings on Friday, as the region continues to experience drought-like conditions, heightening the risk of wild fires.
A forest fire rages in Evesham, New Jersey, on 6 November 2024. Photograph: NJ Dept of Environmental Protection via AP
California’s Mountain fire has so far damaged at least 88 structures, and destroyed about 132, the majority of which were homes. Officials have not specified whether the structures had been burned or affected by water or smoke . The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
When local resident Joey Parish returned to the site of his former home of more than 20 years in Camarillo Heights, all that was left was part of the burned-out steel frame.
Quick Guide
US wildfire terms, explained
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Acres burned
US wildfires are measured in terms of acres. While the size of a wildfire doesn’t necessarily correlate to its destructive impact, acreage provides a way to understand a fire’s footprint and how quickly it has grown.
There are 2.47 acres in a hectare, and 640 acres in a square mile, but this can be hard to visualise. Here are some easy comparisons: one acre equates to roughly the size of an American football field. London’s Heathrow airport is about 3,000 acres. Manhattan covers roughly 14,600 acres, while Chicago is roughly 150,000 acres, and Los Angeles is roughly 320,000 acres.
Megafire
A megafire is defined by the National Interagency Fire Center as a wildfire that has burned more than 100,000 acres (40,000 hectares).
Containment level
A wildfire’s containment level indicates how much progress firefighters have made in controlling the fire. Containment is achieved by creating perimeters the fire can’t move across. This is done through methods such as putting fire retardants on the ground, digging trenches, or removing brush and other flammable fuels.
Containment is measured in terms of the percentage of the fire that has been surrounded by these control lines. A wildfire with a low containment level, such as 0% or 5%, is essentially burning out of control. A fire with a high level of containment, such as 90%, isn’t necessarily extinguished but rather has a large protective perimeter and a rate of growth that is under control.
Evacuation orders and warnings
Evacuation warnings and orders are issued by officials when a wildfire is causing imminent danger to people’s life and property. According to the California office of emergency services, an evacuation warning means that it’s a good idea to leave an area or get ready to leave soon. An evacuation order means that you should leave the area immediately.
Red flag warning
A red flag warning is a type of forecast issued by the National Weather Service that indicates when weather conditions are likely to spark or spread wildfires. These conditions typically include dryness, low humidity, high winds and heat.
Prescribed burn
A prescribed burn, or a controlled burn, is a fire that is intentionally set under carefully managed conditions in order to improve the health of a landscape. Prescribed burns are carried out by trained experts such as members of the US Forest Service and Indigenous fire practitioners. Prescribed burns help remove flammable vegetation and reduce the risk of larger, more catastrophic blazes, among other benefits.
Prescribed burning was once a common tool among Native American tribes who used “good fire” to improve the land, but was limited for much of the last century by a US government approach based on fire suppression. In recent years, US land managers have returned to embracing the benefits of prescribed burns, and now conduct thousands across the country every year.
“It’s tough, it’s really tough to know how to process the emotions,” he told KNBC-TV on Thursday. He had evacuated with his wife and their cat. “Neither one of us has been able to cry yet,” he said.
“What I have on my back is what I came out with,” he said. “My cellphone, and not even a charger, and no toothbrush – nothing.”
Ten people have suffered smoke inhalation or other non-life-threatening injuries, said James Fryhoff, Ventura county sheriff.
County fire officials said that crews working in steep terrain with support from water-dropping helicopters were focusing on protecting homes on hillsides along the fire’s north-east edge near the city of Santa Paula, home to more than 30,000 people.
Officials in several southern California counties urged residents to be watch out for fast-spreading blazes, power outages and downed trees during the latest round of notorious Santa Ana winds.
A fire helicopter makes a drop over the Mountain fire as it scorches acres in Moorpark, California, on Thursday. Photograph: Étienne Laurent/AFP/Getty Images
Santa Anas are dry, warm and gusty north-east winds that blow from the interior of southern California toward the coast and offshore, moving in the opposite direction to the normal onshore flow that carries moist air from the Pacific. They typically occur during the fall months and continue through winter and into early spring.
Ariel Cohen, a National Weather Service’s meteorologist in Oxnard, said Santa Ana winds were subsiding in the lower elevations but remained gusty across the higher elevations on Thursday evening.
The Santa Anas are expected to return early-to-middle of next week, Cohen said.
The Mountain fire was burning in a region that has seen some of California’s most destructive fires over the years. The fire swiftly grew from less than half a square mile (about 1.3 sq km) to more than 16 sq miles in little more than five hours on Wednesday.
California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, proclaimed a state of emergency in Ventura county.
Due to the high fire danger, California utility companies began powering down equipment to attempt to limit the risk of ignitions, after a series of massive and deadly wildfires in recent years were sparked by electrical lines and other infrastructure.
Ventura county schools also announced this week that all schools in the area would be closed on Thursday and Friday.
Satellite images show California homes before and after destruction by wildfire – video
According to the National Weather Service, the combination of gusty winds, very low humidity, and dry conditions increases the potential for fires to spread rapidly.
In New Jersey, firefighters are trying to contain several large wildfires burning across the state.
A drought watch has been in effect in New Jersey for the past two weeks, as the region continues to experience below-average rainfall.
Earlier this week, New York City officials issued a citywide drought watch, directing city agencies to update and prepare to implement water conservation plans and urged the public to help conserve water.
On Thursday, authorities in Massachusetts declared a major drought in parts of the state.
Rebecca Tepper, the state’s energy and environmental affairs secretary said that this autumn season has “felt different”.
“Climate change is bringing drier weather to our state at times and extreme precipitation at others,” she added.
In Massachusetts, the dry weather pattern is driving a historic fall fire season, state officials there said, adding that in October alone, the state experienced 203 brush fires.
Rainfall was well below average for October in much of the north-east, with numerous locations recording their lowest rainfall ever.
The Associated Press contributed reporting
California wildfire destroys more than 130 structures as firefighters hope fierce winds ease | California
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