Wildfires, excessive heat and maybe blackouts in California
BY MARCIO SANCHEZ and CHRISTOPHER WEBER
Associated Press
CALIFORNIA NATIONAL
GUARD VIA AP
California National Guard shows dozens of evacuees are evacuated to safety on a Cal Guard Chinook Saturday, after the Creek Fire in central California left them stranded.
SHAVER LAKE, CALIF. — Rescuers in military helicopters airlifted 207 people to safety after an explosive wildfire trapped them in a popular camping area in California’s Sierra National Forest, one of dozens of fires burning Sunday amid record-breaking temperatures that strained the state’s electrical grid and could lead to planned power outages.
The California Office of Emergency Services said Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters were used for the rescues that began late Saturday and continued overnight from Mammoth Pool Reservoir. At least two people were severely injured and 10 more suffered moderate injuries.Twocampersrefusedrescue and stayed behind, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office said.
A photo tweeted by the California National Guard showed at least 20 evacuees crammed inside one helicopter, crouched on the floor clutching their belongings. In another photo taken on the ground from a helicopter cockpit, the densely wooded hills surrounding the aircraft were in flames.
The fire churned southward through dense forest and by Sunday afternoon was threatening a marina and cabins along Shaver Lake. Jack Machado helped friends remove propane tanks from the lodge Cottages at the Point. Sheriff’s deputies went through the tiny town to make sure residents complied with evacuation orders.
“The lake is totally engulfed with smoke. You can’t hardly see in front of you,” Machado said. “The sky’s turning red. It looks like Mars out there.”
While some campers were rescued by helicopters, others made a white-knuckle drive to safety. Juliana Park recorded video of flames on both sides of her car as she and others fled down a mountain road.
“A backpacking trip cut short by unforeseen thunder, ash rain, and having to drive through literal fire to evacuate #SierraNationalForest in time,” Park tweeted. “Grateful to the SNF ranger who led us down ... wish we got her name.”
The wildfire, named the Creek Fire, started Friday and by Saturday afternoon exploded in size, jumped the San Joaquin River and cut off the only road into the Mammoth Pool Campground, national forest spokesman Dan Tune said. At least 2,000 structures were threatened in the area about 290 miles north of Los Angeles. The fire had charred more than 71 square miles of timber with no containment. Temperatures in the area topped 100 degrees. The heat wave was expected to spread triple-digit temperatures over much of California through Monday. Temperatures in downtown Los Angeles reached 111 degrees. And just to the northwest, a record-shattering high of 121 degrees was hit in the Woodland Hills area of the San Fernando Valley.
BY MARCIO SANCHEZ and CHRISTOPHER WEBER
Associated Press
CALIFORNIA NATIONAL
GUARD VIA AP
California National Guard shows dozens of evacuees are evacuated to safety on a Cal Guard Chinook Saturday, after the Creek Fire in central California left them stranded.
SHAVER LAKE, CALIF. — Rescuers in military helicopters airlifted 207 people to safety after an explosive wildfire trapped them in a popular camping area in California’s Sierra National Forest, one of dozens of fires burning Sunday amid record-breaking temperatures that strained the state’s electrical grid and could lead to planned power outages.
The California Office of Emergency Services said Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters were used for the rescues that began late Saturday and continued overnight from Mammoth Pool Reservoir. At least two people were severely injured and 10 more suffered moderate injuries.Twocampersrefusedrescue and stayed behind, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office said.
A photo tweeted by the California National Guard showed at least 20 evacuees crammed inside one helicopter, crouched on the floor clutching their belongings. In another photo taken on the ground from a helicopter cockpit, the densely wooded hills surrounding the aircraft were in flames.
The fire churned southward through dense forest and by Sunday afternoon was threatening a marina and cabins along Shaver Lake. Jack Machado helped friends remove propane tanks from the lodge Cottages at the Point. Sheriff’s deputies went through the tiny town to make sure residents complied with evacuation orders.
“The lake is totally engulfed with smoke. You can’t hardly see in front of you,” Machado said. “The sky’s turning red. It looks like Mars out there.”
While some campers were rescued by helicopters, others made a white-knuckle drive to safety. Juliana Park recorded video of flames on both sides of her car as she and others fled down a mountain road.
“A backpacking trip cut short by unforeseen thunder, ash rain, and having to drive through literal fire to evacuate #SierraNationalForest in time,” Park tweeted. “Grateful to the SNF ranger who led us down ... wish we got her name.”
The wildfire, named the Creek Fire, started Friday and by Saturday afternoon exploded in size, jumped the San Joaquin River and cut off the only road into the Mammoth Pool Campground, national forest spokesman Dan Tune said. At least 2,000 structures were threatened in the area about 290 miles north of Los Angeles. The fire had charred more than 71 square miles of timber with no containment. Temperatures in the area topped 100 degrees. The heat wave was expected to spread triple-digit temperatures over much of California through Monday. Temperatures in downtown Los Angeles reached 111 degrees. And just to the northwest, a record-shattering high of 121 degrees was hit in the Woodland Hills area of the San Fernando Valley.
