On Tuesday, President Joe Biden declared that a major disaster exists in California and ordered federal aid made available to local governments, agencies and fire victims in four northern counties ravaged by blazes dating back to July 14.Ĭopyright 2023 The Associated Press. Northern California has experienced a series of disastrous blazes that have burned hundreds of homes and many remain uncontained. Nationally, 92 large fires were burning in a dozen mainly Western states, according to the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho. The fire has blackened 32 square miles (83 square kilometers) since Aug. About 10 communities were under evacuation orders. In the southern Sierra Nevada, there was growing concern as the French Fire expanded near Lake Isabella, a popular fishing and boating destination. At least 682 homes were among more than 1,270 buildings that have been destroyed. Meanwhile, California’s Dixie Fire, the second-largest in state history at 1,148 square miles (2,973 square kilometers), was burning only about 65 miles (104 kilometers) to the north. We emptied the cupboards of resources,” Marsolais said, adding that while the blaze had slowed its explosive growth in recent days, “that can change.” 1 fire in the country right now … there’s dozens of crews and dozers and engines and others that are on their way right now,” said Jeff Marsolais, supervisor for the Eldorado National Forest and an administrator on the fire. More than 2,500 firefighters were on the line and more resources were streaming in, including big firefighting aircraft, fire officials said. On the fire’s eastern side, crews bulldozed fire lines, opened up narrow logging roads and cleared ridgetops in hopes of stopping its advance, fire officials said. The western side of the blaze continued to threaten more than a dozen small communities and wineries. It was 11% contained and threatened more than 17,000 structures. 14 in the Sierra Nevada southwest of the lake. The Caldor fire has scorched more than 197 square miles (510 square kilometers) and destroyed at least 461 homes since Aug. The Angora Fire burned less than 5 square miles (13 square kilometers) but destroyed 254 homes, injured three people and forced 2,000 people to flee. The last major blaze in the area, during the summer of 2007, took South Lake Tahoe by surprise after blowing up from an illegal campfire. However, the Washoe County School District’s schools in Incline Village on the north shore of Lake Tahoe remained closed, the district said in a statement. The school district that includes Reno reopened most schools on Wednesday, citing improved air quality conditions. “I just think that the smoke and the fires have gotten bigger, hotter and faster-moving.”Ĭlimate change has made the West warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make the weather more extreme and wildfires more destructive, according to scientists.Īlthough there were no evacuations ordered for Lake Tahoe, it was impossible to ignore a blanket of haze so thick and vast that it closed schools for two days in Reno, Nevada, which is about 60 miles (100 kilometers) from the fire. And I think it’s becoming a reality for us, unfortunately,” Diane Nelson said. ![]() “Everybody’s trying to make accommodations for the smoke. In the end, the Nelsons spent two days arranging to have the wedding moved from the glacial lake several hours southwest to the San Francisco Bay Area. The sun was an eerie blood orange and the floats and boats in the lake were obscured by haze. However, the smoke caused most of the community to leave. South of Tahoe, Rick Nelson and his wife, Diane, had planned to host a weekend wedding at Fallen Leaf Lake, where his daughter and her fiance had met. Trejo, who uses supplemental oxygen due to respiratory problems, said her husband wanted to keep gambling. Sitting at a slot machine near a window looking out at cars driving through the haze, Ramona Trejo said she and her husband would stay for their 50th wedding anniversary, as planned. Inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, cocktail waitresses in fishnet stockings and leopard-print corsets served customers playing slots and blackjack.
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