Published 13:55 IST, October 30th 2019
California braces for strong winds that could further fan fires
Thousands of firefighters fighting against time to curb two very big wildfires such as the Kinkade Fire in the northern part of California and the Getty Fire
The state of California on October 29, prepared itself for the most powerful winds that threatened to spread devasting fires in the State and could also lead to sparking a new set of wildfires. Although thousands of firefighters were fighting against time to curb two very big wildfires such as the Kinkade Fire in the northern part of California and the Getty Fire, that happened west of the city of Los Angeles.
California braces for powerful winds
The National Weather Service released an extreme red flag warning that talked about a very high risk of wildfires for the southern part of California alongside strong winds with a speed of 130 kilometers per hour expected in the Santa Monica and Los Angeles mountains. The warning also stated that the event of strong winds in Santa Monica will most probably be the strongest this season in relation to the events of strong winds that take place in the Southern part of California every year.
In a public address, LA fire department head, Ralph Terrazas, stated that all it takes is one ember to start a wildfire. He also said that it is a known fact that embers travel several miles and that is why he was concerned as the strong winds could play a very big part in starting the fires.
The Getty wildfire incident
The Getty wildfire incident that took place near the Getty center museum, started on October 28 and a day later it had burned down approximately 656 acres of the land. According to reports, officials said that the fire was caused by a tree branch that fell on the electricity lines.
The Getty incident forced many of the celebrities to evacuate their homes. In a tweet, LA mayor, Eric Garcetti, said that Los Angeles Lakers player, Lebron James, pitched in to help the firefighters tackling the fires. He sent a taco truck to provide food for the firemen.
WWE wrestler turned actor, John Cena also posted a tweet that saw him make a promise to donate money to the firefighters.
The Kinkade fire incident
As more than 4,000 firefighters fought to curb the Kinkade fires, winds picked up speed in Sonoma County that prompted large scale evacuations and power outages. According to reports, the officials asked the residents to be ready for further evacuations over concerns of strong winds that have already played a substitute in fanning the fires that have already claimed more than 75000 acres of land.
A lot of other fires have also broken out due to strong winds, humidity, and soaring temperatures. These wildfires have come at a time when California is still dealing with the aftermath of the Camp Fire, the most destructive wildfires in the state's history, that completely destroyed the town of Paradise and claimed the lives of 86 people.
(With inputs from agencies)
Updated 23:46 IST, October 30th 2019