California Wildfires
There are at least 77 dead from the raging wild fire in California, forcing many to evacuate while ripping through neighborhoods and forests. There is still neatly a thousand missing as the search continues for the firefighters, sifting through ash and ruble looking for survivors, and remains.
The “Camp Fire” as it’s named, is the most devastating fire in the last few centuries, tearing through the suburb of Paradise and destroying over 12,000 homes.
The Butte County Sheriff’s Office said Monday several communities near Paradise can be re-entered, but it urged residents to make sure they have food, water and fuel in their vehicles and to avoid using the roads as much as possible.
Fire crews are still working tirelessly to clear downed utility poles, burnt trees, and other hazards from the 236 squared miles of charred land. Many who escaped the blaze have come back to their home, destroyed and completely gone, all of their belongings and memories burned in the blaze.
After 17 days, the Camp Fire was finally contained after burning through 153,000 acres and destroying 14,000 residence. Over 1,000 firefighters worked tirelessly to put out the blaze, with the help of some well times rain.
After a visit to some destroyed homes in Malibu, Trump argued that the fire was so intense because of poor forest management by the state, and even threatened to pull funding.
But state officials shot back, saying Butte County had endured its hottest years on record in the past decade. Those high temperatures had made the vegetation especially parched, officials argued, and turned Butte County into a tinderbox.
A spokesman for Gov. Jerry Brown (D) said more federal forest land has burned than state land, adding that the state has expanded its forestry budget while the Trump administration has cut its budget for forest services.
The fire may have been contained, but the problems still exist for the citizens who lost their homes and belongings. Still, 296 people are unaccounted for, as crews continue to sift through ash and debris.
If you would like to help the victims of this disaster, you can donate to the American Red Cross or directly to California Community Foundation Wildlife Relief Fund.
Image: Mr.Trump in Paradise, California at the site of charred land.
The Washington Post
The New York Times
