California declares state of emergency due to wildfires

(Baonghean.vn)- In the face of increasingly fierce wildfires in northern California, which have killed a firefighter and forced hundreds of others to leave their homes, Governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency in the state.

A wildfire in California. AFP

As of the morning of August 2, about 8,000 firefighters, supported by the National Guard, were still battling 20 fires, most of them caused by lightning strikes, in Northern California. Authorities also closed miles of highways to help fight the fires.

However, extinguishing the fires is becoming more and more difficult as California has been facing a historic drought for the past four years. In a statement issued on July 31, Mr. Jerry Brown even compared "severe drought and extreme weather that almost turned the entire state into a tinderbox."

Fires have destroyed three homes in Lower Lake, California.AFP

It is known that for many weeks, firefighters have been trying to control the fires but they have failed to prevent the spread of the fire. In the face of the above situation, Mr. Ken Pimlott - Director of the California Department of Forestry said that at this time, only rain can change the situation.

Currently, the state government is worried that the fires will spread further if the drought continues. According to state statistics, there have been more than 3,400 fires in California since the beginning of the year. This has caused headaches for the authorities because the number has exceeded the average of previous years by more than 1,000 cases.

Chu Thanh

(according to Le Monde)