NORTH FORK, US: Wildfires in California have torched a record more than two million acres, the state fire department said on Monday, as smoke hampered efforts to airlift dozens of people trapped by an uncontrolled blaze.
The Creek Fire in northern California has so far spread to 135,525 acres, destroyed 65 structures and is out of control, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said in an update.
Several communities in the area northeast of Fresno have been ordered to evacuate due to immediate threat to life.
Dozens of people have been trapped by the rapidly-expanding fire and Fresno Fire Battalion chief Tony Escobedo said smoke was hampering efforts by military choppers to rescue them.
“The difficulty of the helicopters trying to get through the smoke has proven a challenge during the day,” he told reporters on Monday.
“They weren’t able to land several times, several attempts throughout the day,” he said.
“We are going to try to do it again this evening with their night vision capability. We have reports in excess of 50 people or more,” (trapped in several locations) he said.
Fresno Fire Department tweeted that “military pilots tried valiantly to land but heavy smoke conditions prevented a safe approach, another effort will be made shortly to evacuate the trapped people in Lake Edison and China Peak using night vision.”
People trapped were currently safe in temporary areas of refuge, said Lieutenant Brandon Purcell from Fresno Sheriff’s Office, calling the fire “an unprecedented disaster for Fresno County.”
Over the weekend, military helicopters rescued more than 200 people trapped by the fire near Mammoth Pool Reservoir. — AFP
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