A fire called “McKinney” has been raging since Friday July 29 in northern California, and has already caused death in its path.
“We have four confirmed deaths, and this number could change”said Tuesday, August 2, to Agence France-Presse (AFP) a spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office in Siskiyou County, where a state of emergency has been declared.
“McKinney”, the largest fire of the year in this western American state, covers 22,700 hectares, and threatens the small town of Yreka in particular. It remained, Tuesday, out of control.
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 border with the state of Oregon. “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. »
Since Sunday evening, fire fighters have benefited from a brief lull offered by better weather conditions, with lower temperatures and scattered rainfall. But the optimism remains relative, as an alert from the weather services remains active due to the threat of lightning linked to the expected arrival of new thunderstorms.
“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.
Persistent drought
Bulldozers were positioned to protect buildings near the town of Yreka and its approximately 8,000 inhabitants. 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.