Published 16:58 IST, August 22nd 2020
California wildfires: Governor urges people to 'heed evacuation orders' in 'deadly moment'
Hundreds of wildfires are burning across Central and Northern California claiming six lives in the region on August 21, Friday, according to the reports.
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Hundreds of wildfires are burning across Central and Northern California claiming six lives in the region.. According to the reports, the wildfires have become the largest in state history and are threatening small towns located in the region. As per the reports, the wildfires broke out in the previous week occupying an area larger than the U.S. state of Rhode Island and ravaged more than 500 homes and other establishments. The report added that 43 firefighters and civilians have been hurt.
Gavin Newsom, governor of California reportedly said that the firefighters are battling 560 fires across the state. Addressing a news briefing he added, "We are not naive by any stretch about how deadly this moment is and why it is essential … that you heed evacuation orders and that you take them seriously".
175,000 people asked to leave homes
As per reports, California has been badly hit by dry-lightning storms sparking the flames to race through parched land. Nearly 175,000 people have been asked to leave their homes, as per reports. On August 20, NASA released the Terra satellite imagery of the plumes of smokes from the California Fires. In a press release, NASA shared an image that depicted the 1200+ Mile trail of smokes plaguing the California wildfires region that dispersed in the wind creating a blanket of haze. NASA wrote that its team captured the unique image using an application that could calculate almost 1,214 miles northeast to the southwest trail of the fire within the app.
“Fire is devastating, and the effects of smoke on humans can also be devastating. The smoke released by any type of fire forest, brush, crop, structure, tires, waste, or wood-burning is a mixture of particles and chemicals produced by incomplete burning of carbon-containing materials,” NASA wrote, describing the devastating scene.
Image: AP
16:58 IST, August 22nd 2020