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FIRE STORM
Two dead in California fires, thousands evacuated
by Staff Writers
Los Angeles (AFP) June 25, 2016


California fire destroys 80 buildings, closes highways
Los Angeles (AFP) June 24, 2016 - A fast-spreading fire in central California has destroyed at least 80 buildings and is threatening 1,500 more, prompting the evacuation of 10 neighborhoods, the authorities said Thursday night.

The fire three hours north of Los Angeles -- dubbed the Erskine fire -- had spread to an estimated 5,000 acres (20 square kilometers), prompting the mobilization of hundreds of firefighters, the news website Inciweb said.

The authorities closed several highways and evacuated two schools and a retirement home in the agricultural and oil region after the blaze started Thursday afternoon due to unknown causes.

The blaze is "extremely dangerous, extremely volatile," Kern County Fire Captain Tyler Townsend told the Los Angeles Times. "It's one of the most devastating I've ever seen."

California is experiencing a record five-year drought. Trees and brush are at risk of igniting from the smallest spark.

Temperatures that climbed to more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) earlier this week increased the risk of fire.

More than fourteen large fires are currently raging in the United States, mostly in the southwest, where a record heat wave left at least five dead earlier this week.

At least two people have died in a fire in central California that has destroyed 100 structures and prompted the governor to declare a state of emergency, officials said Friday.

The fast-moving blaze that erupted late Thursday afternoon in the Lake Isabella area of Kern County had spread to about 30,000 acres (121 square kilometers) by Friday afternoon and was five percent contained, authorities said

The Kern County Fire Department confirmed the two fatalities in a message on Twitter but provided no further details.

It said firefighters were dealing with strong winds that were fanning the so-called Erskine fire -- located three hours north of Los Angeles.

Governor Jerry Brown issued a state of emergency for the region, allowing aid to be deployed more quickly.

"Anne and I extend our heartfelt sympathies to everyone impacted by this destructive blaze," the governor said in a statement, referring to his wife.

"We join all Californians in expressing our gratitude to the courageous firefighters, emergency personnel and volunteers working tirelessly throughout Kern County to help residents and extinguish this fire."

Local media said 80 homes had been destroyed by the flames, which quickly went out of control and that number was likely to grow.

Thousands of residents have also been evacuated.

"This fire ... it exploded. It went from 2 to thousands of acres within hours," county fire captain Tyler Townsend told reporters.

Fire officials said some 800 firefighters were battling the blaze and several hundred more were on the way.

"The mountainous terrain, five years of drought and wind gusts ...drove a fire over 11 miles in 13 hours," said county fire Chief Brian Marshall, quoted by KTLA.

"Our firefighters ... have been engaged in a firefight of epic proportions, trying to save every structure possible."

Authorities closed several highways and evacuated two schools and a retirement home in the agricultural and oil region after the blaze started due to unknown causes.

California is experiencing a record five-year drought and trees and brush are at risk of igniting from the smallest spark.

Temperatures that climbed to more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) earlier this week increased the risk of fire.

More than 14 large fires are currently raging in the United States, mostly in the southwest, where a record heat wave left at least five dead last Sunday.


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Previous Report
FIRE STORM
Cyprus 'optimistic' on containing deadly wildfire
Nicosia (AFP) June 22, 2016
Cyprus expressed optimism on Wednesday that it could contain the island's worst forest fire in years after additional firefighting aircraft arrived from France and Italy. The government meanwhile declared three days of mourning from Wednesday for two firefighters killed as the blaze raged in the Solea valley in the northern foothills of the Troodos mountains. President Nicos Anastasiades ... read more


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