California fire mosquitoes threaten thousands of homes in the mountains
- The Mosquito Fire, which has burned more than 70 square miles since Tuesday, is only 10% contained.
- Fire officials warn that vegetation in the area – from fine grass to large trees – is extremely dry and highly flammable.
- Helicopters carry out the task of dropping water, assisting firefighters on the ground.
Huge Northern California wildfires threatened thousands of mountain homes Monday as the state and much of the West continue to grapple with the effects of historic drought.
In Northern California, the Mosquito Fire has burned more than 70 square miles since Tuesday and was only 16 percent contained as of Monday night. The steep, rugged terrain makes it difficult for ground personnel to access the fire. The area has cooled down after last week’s record heatwave, but fire officials warn that vegetation in the area – from fine grass to large trees – is extremely dry and highly flammable.
“This isn’t a weather show, it’s a fuel show,” the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said in a fire status update.
5,800 buildings are at risk of collapsing; 11,000 residents were ordered to evacuate
Helicopters carry out the task of dropping water, assisting firefighters on the ground. Cal Fire Incident Commander Rick Young made a reconnaissance flight to the fire and said the reduced winds helped slow the fire’s growth.
“The fire doesn’t go anywhere fast, but where it burns, it really burns,” Young said.
More than 5,800 buildings in Placer and El Dorado counties are threatened, and 11,000 residents are being evacuated. The fire also enveloped an area of the northern Sierra in smoke. California health officials urged people in affected areas to stay indoors if possible.
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Tour de Tahoe organizers canceled their annual 72-mile bike ride around Lake Tahoe because of smoke from the blaze more than 50 miles away. Last year’s trip was also canceled because of smoke from a fire south of Tahoe.
Southwest winds could push the fire to the northeast late Monday, Cal Fire said.
“With fresher air in the afternoon, fire activity is expected to increase as has been the case over the past few days,” the update warned. Cal Fire hopes to completely extinguish the fire by October 15.
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Heavy rain from Kay Wetlands in Southern California
In Southern California, weekend heavy rains generated by Tropical Storm Kay created another problem: Los Angeles County firefighters, in some cases assisted by helicopters, rescued About 50 people were trapped on Sunday in two dozen vehicles in a landslide near Lake Hughes.
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“Firehawk helicopters used night vision technology to rescue eight adults and six children from five different locations spanning several miles of flooded Pine Canyon Road in Lake Hughes following a slow-moving thunderstorm.” , the County Fire Department’s Air Operations Division tweeted.
Contribution: Associated Press
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