Posts
- Several wildfires have forced evacuations in California, Colorado and New Mexico.
- The Stone Fire burning in Agua Dulce, California, grew to more than 2 square miles in a few hours' time.
- The 416 Fire in Colorado has burned into the San Juan National Forest and spurred more than 800 homes to be evacuated.
- Fourteen buildings have been destroyed in a New Mexico inferno, and hundreds of homes are threatened, officials said.
5
June, 2018
Fires
in Colorado, New Mexico and California have forced evacuations amid
dry conditions and severe drought.
A
blaze burning Monday in Los Angeles County exploded in size,
consuming more than 2 square miles in a few hours, according to
InciWeb, a government incident information system. The fire had
reportedly burned 20 acres around 1 p.m. local time and was estimated
to be more than 200 acres an hour later.
The
fast-moving blaze burning in the town of Agua Dulce, roughly 50 miles
north of Los Angeles, prompted the Sheriff's Office to order
evacuations. No deaths have been reported, but a firefighter suffered
minor injuries, according to the Associated Press. The fire is now 30
percent contained.
Heading to #StoneFire in Agua Dulce. What we know: 20 acres, structures threatened near Anthony Road, 240 personnel on scene, per @LACoFDPIO.
Residents
were told to flee areas near Anthony Road and the Sierra Highway due
to the blaze, CBS Los Angeles reported. The county fire department
requested aircraft to help fight the flames from the sky
The
cause of the fire is under investigation.
The
blaze, dubbed the 416 Fire, was spotted north of Durango Friday
morning and was being fueled by shifting winds onto the San Juan
National Forest. More than 3 square miles were scorched by Tuesday
morning. The fire is 10 percent contained.
In
addition to the more than 800 homes evacuated, another 700 homes were
told to be ready to leave on a moment's notice. About 500 residences
are threatened in the Highway 550 corridor, InciWeb said
Highway
550 was partially reopened Sunday, according to CBS Denver, but the
Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad canceled all rides
through June 10 due to the severe fire danger.
Several
witnesses have indicated that the inferno was sparked by someone near
the train tracks, but no official cause has been released, according
to the Durango Herald.
Ute
Park Fire, New Mexico
Residents
have been ordered to evacuate an area of northern New Mexico as an
aggressive wildfire burned more than 57 square miles of land.
The
so-called Ute Park Fire destroyed 14 unoccupied structures at the Boy
Scouts' Philmont Ranch overnight as it burned near Highway 64 in Ute
Park. More than 200 buildings in Ute Park are threatened by the fire,
according to KOAT.com.
However,
there was some good news Monday: with the fire threat in steady
decline, hundreds of residents in and around the town of Cimarron
were cleared to return to their homes, officials said. Precipitation
helped firefighters battle the blaze Sunday, and it is now 25 percent
contained, according to InciWeb.
Several
roads in the area were closed as the fire jumped over highways Friday
and into the weekend.
Officials
also said the fire danger forced the closure of the Santa Fe National
Forest Friday morning, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported. It will
remain closed until conditions improve, the report added.
"Under
current conditions, one abandoned campfire could cause a catastrophic
wildfire, and we are not willing to take that chance with the natural
and cultural resources under our protection and care," National
Forest Supervisor James Melonas said in a statement to the Santa Fe
New Mexican.
Northern
New Mexico has been in a prolonged period of extreme drought. Areas
in and around Ute Park are currently in exceptional drought – the
worst category – according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The
cause of the fire remains under investigation.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.