On July 26, 2024, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency due to hazardous and accelerated wildfire conditions. The heightened state is being applied to Plumas, Butte, and Tehama counties due to the wildfires ravaging those areas. The Park Fire alone has laid waste to over 350,000 acres, which is tens of thousands of acres larger than the entire city of Los Angeles. Thousands have been forced to evacuate from their homes, and millions of dollars in infrastructure have been damaged. Governor Newsom released a statement on his website about the current situation:
“We are using every available tool to protect lives and property as our fire and emergency response teams work around the clock to combat these challenging fires. Stay safe and remain alert for instructions from local authorities as dangerous fire weather conditions continue.”
The level of danger that these wildfires pose cannot be overstated, as the Park Fire alone is only about 10% contained as of this writing. The Gold Complex Fire also poses a serious risk to Plumas County. This whole situation brings back unpleasant memories of the villainous 2018 Camp Fire, which killed 85 people and torched over 11,000 homes. Anyone living in the surrounding area should heed local warnings and be prepared for an emergency.
Sources:
(2024, July 26). https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/07/26/governor-newsom-proclaims-state-of-emergency-in-plumas-butte-and-tehama-counties-due-to-fires/
(2024, July 27). Firefighters helped by cooler weather battle blaze that has scorched area size of Los Angeles. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/us-wildfires-california-oregon-4ff0e51837119a32cc805efc46967c94
Roberts, N. (2024, July 27). Cooler temperatures bring relief as Park fire explodes in California. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jul/27/wildfires-california-state-of-emergency
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