Wildfires Engulf Thousands of Acres
Massive wildfires have caused forced evacuations in three US states amid extreme drought and dry weather conditions.
Weather.com reported Wildfires sparked evacuations in some parts of California, Colorado, and New Mexico.
In southern California, the rapidly expanding wildfires near Laguna Beach caused panic among residents. Mandatory evacuations were launched for Laguna Beach neighborhoods, including Top of the World and Old Top of the World.
The fire, named the Aliso Fire, torched about 250 acres in Aliso Viejo and Laguna Beach’s Top of the World neighborhood, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Roads were closed in the affected area as more than 400 firefighters battled the blaze, which is now 40 percent contained, according to media reports. Authorities have not yet identified the cause of the fire.
In Colorado
Wildfires also sparked mass evacuations in the state of Colorado. Media reports say more than 800 homes were evacuated.
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. The inferno burned 1,100 acres by Monday morning. The fire is 10 percent contained.
Due to difficulty to contain the fire, another 700 homes were told to be ready to flee at a moment’s notice.
Ute Park Fire, New Mexico
Wildfires labeled as Ute Park Fire in New Mexico also drew panic among residents. The aggresive wildfire in northern New Mexico forced residents to flee to safer ground. Media reports say the ravaging wildfires burned up to 27,290 acres of land by Friday afternoon.
The inferno destroyed 14 unoccupied structures at the Boy Scouts’ Philmont Ranch overnight as it burned near Highway 64 in Ute Park. A mandatory evacuation order was in place for the town of Cimarron, where 296 structures were threatened by the blaze.
Nearly 450 personnel were deployed to contain the fire.
Record of Wildfires
Wildfires are not new in California. The state experienced some of its most destructive fires ever over the past year. In October 2017, deadly wildfires ravaged the northern part of California, killing at least twenty-six people and causing mass evacuations. At least seventeen wildfires swept through the northern part of the state. The state’s famous wine country – Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties were severely burned. The disaster left a trail of destruction, and at least 1,500 properties were damaged.
