Fires: California continues to ignite, more than 100,000 evacuated

At least five deaths, and more than 100,000 people forced to evacuate their homes in California. Such is the toll of the fires that ravage the American state, entire areas of which were covered with thick clouds of smoke on Friday.

The fires, triggered by tens of thousands of lightning bolts, are powered by record-breaking heat and low humidity. One of the largest blazes, the LNU Lightning Complex, alone set off nearly 90,000 hectares in smoke on Friday morning. In particular, it threatened the vines of Napa and Sonoma counties, which had already been exposed to such fires in recent years.

And the risks of infection with the new coronavirus pushed some of the 119,000 people evacuated to find refuge in parking lots or on the edge of beaches, rather than in the accommodation centers offered by the authorities. In the coastal town of Santa Cruz, authorities have urged tourists to leave their hotels vacant, in order to provide beds for people fleeing the fires.

#woodwardfire update: Approx. 1,100 acres and 0% containment.

Video showing the fire on the western side of the ridge to the west of Olema. pic.twitter.com/mxOhGXlAE0

Daniel Berlant, representative for the California Fire Prevention Agency, praised the firefighters' efforts over the past 24 hours: “They are making progress, but the weather is not helping us. California on Sunday recorded what could be the third hottest temperature on Earth ever, with 54.4 ° C in Death Valley. If the mercury should drop slightly over the weekend, the risk of new thunderstorms and therefore lightning, leaves the agency on "alert".

Link with climate change

In a speech at the Democratic convention Thursday, California Governor Gavin Newsom stressed the direct cause and effect link between climate change and these fires. “Climate change is a reality,” he said. “If you don't believe it, come to California. "

During a press briefing on Friday, the governor said firefighters from Texas, New Mexico and Oregon had been sent in as reinforcements and that other states should also come to their aid.

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VIDEO. Huge fire ravages California, 8,000 evacuees

In total, more than 312,000 hectares have been decimated in California since the start of this episode, mainly in uninhabited areas. These fires, which usually occurred between August and November, have become more frequent and larger in California in recent years, due in part to climate change.

The area burned in #California has now exceeded that of Rhode Island (771,000 acres) as the diablo winds season has not even started. The fires were started by more than 10,000 lightning bolts. 376 fires Wednesday; 560 Friday, 6 dead, 100,000 displaced pic.twitter.com/mVp0EKOK6j

The deadliest blaze in state history, dubbed Camp Fire, occurred in November 2018 in the northern state. He had made 86 deaths. Smoke from fires also prompted air pollution alerts, particularly in San Francisco Bay. US weather services expected the skies to remain "foggy and smoky", at least "in the short term."