At least four people have died in the largest fire of the year in Californialocal authorities said Tuesday, August 2, 2022, warning that the number of victims could rise further.
The fire, dubbed “McKinney”, has been raging since Friday and still remained out of control on Tuesday. It extends over 22,700 hectares, and threatens in particular the small town of Yreka.
“We have four confirmed deaths, and this number could change”told AFP a spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office in Siskiyou County, where a state of emergency has been declared.
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Search teams located two additional deceased individuals in the #McKinneyFire perimeter Monday. Both individuals were located at separate residences along SR 96. This brings the confirmed fatality number to 4. **No additional info pending identification & family notifications** pic.twitter.com/RoSl9I7j3F
— Siskiyou County Sheriff (@SiskiyouSheriff) August 2, 2022
On Sunday morning, the bodies of two deceased people were discovered in a charred vehicle.
On Monday, two additional victims were found at two separate residences, according to a tweet from the sheriff’s office.
At least 3,000 people are affected by evacuation orders around the town of Klamath River, near the Oregon state border.
“Our goal today is to communicate effectively with people, and we ask them to obey evacuation orders”underlined the spokesperson. “Our priority is to protect human lives and properties. »
Brief lull
“When we left, everything was on fire”told the Los Angeles Times a resident, Sherri Marchetti-Perrault. “It happened so fast. We left with only our clothes on our backs. We couldn’t breathe or see anything. »
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?? “The devastating McKinney fire has left many Californians seeking answers and has forced others to pick through the ashes as they try to rebuild their lives.” by @latimes https://t.co/y9y7HXkNM6
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) August 2, 2022
Since Sunday evening, fire fighters have benefited from a brief lull offered by better weather conditions, with lower temperatures and scattered rainfall.
But optimism remained cautious, as an alert from the weather services due to the threat of lightning remained active. After a lull through early Tuesday afternoon, further thunderstorms are expected, they said.
“Vegetation in the area is extremely dry and the continued threat of thunderstorms, and associated strong and unpredictable winds, could cause the fire to flare up again”warned the California firefighting agency.
Bulldozers were positioned to protect buildings near the town of Yreka (about 8,000 inhabitants).
Persistent drought
Despite the danger, some residents preferred to wait until the last moment before leaving.
“I’m holding on, and trying not to leave too early because I’m helping my mother who is not in good physical health to get around”told AFP Rafael Franco, a resident who received a mandatory evacuation order.
“If, at the last minute, I see the fire crossing the ridge where we are, then we will grab what we can and leave, and we will move forward hoping that all goes well”he adds.
Marjie Lawrence, who hastily left Klamath River on Friday night, said she later returned to her home to collect personal belongings. “We took things in case the house burned down, things we wanted, but not enough”she explained.
The fire season in California, a state in a persistent drought situation, is expected to last several months. The frequency and strength of these fires are exacerbated by global warming.
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