The gigantic Dixie Fire became, this Sunday, the second largest fire in the history of California.
And it should last for at least another ten days.
According to the latest report published by the firefighters, the blaze had reduced to ashes a little more than 187,000 hectares since its departure on July 13 in the north of this state and it was limited to only 21%.
In the town of Greenville, totally devastated a few days ago, three people were still missing on Sunday.
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California Governor Gavin Newsom walked the ruins of the city on Saturday, expressing "deep appreciation" for the tireless work of the firefighters.
He said the authorities should devote more resources to forest management and fire prevention.
But "the droughts are much more severe, it is hotter than ever ... We must openly admit that these fires are caused by the climate," he added.
Spent the day in Greenville, surveying damage from the #DixieFire and discussing ongoing firefighting efforts.
This is all that's left of the post office.
Our hearts ache for this town.
Greenville — though this moment may seem insurmountable, we'll be there to help you rebuild.
pic.twitter.com/Zb0JualbR3
- Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) August 8, 2021
The blaze only got bigger, fanned by sweltering heat, alarming drought and lingering winds.
Wildfires are common in California - to the point where locals sometimes wonder what is left to burn.
But due to climate change, this summer is particularly violent and eleven fires were raging this Sunday across the state.
Not extinguished until August 20
Eight of the ten biggest fires ever in California have occurred since 2017. And even six since 2020, when the largest of them all - August Complex - with 417,000 hectares destroyed.
The weather, milder this weekend, gave a little respite to the 5,000 firefighters fighting night and day the blaze, already larger than the city of Los Angeles.
Progressing on extremely steep trails, three of them were injured in operation.
VIDEO.
Dixie Fire, the devastating California blaze, now generates its own climate
But sweltering temperatures above 38 degrees are expected again midweek, and firefighters believe the blaze will not be extinguished until August 20.
Thousands of residents have fled the area, many taking refuge in makeshift camps, often not knowing if their homes have escaped the flames.
Some 370 structures (houses and other buildings) have already been destroyed.
Several towns and villages have been wiped off the map and, according to the fire department, teams were working on Sunday to protect the small town of Crescent Mills located five kilometers from Greenville.
Despite repeated evacuation orders from the authorities, some residents still persist in fighting the fire on their own, anxious not to entrust the security of their property to strangers.
According to a preliminary investigation, the fall of a tree on one of the thousands of electric cables that streak the American landscape is at the origin of the blaze.
This power line is owned by Pacific Gas and Company (PG&E), a private operator already guilty of causing Camp Fire, a blaze that nearly wiped the town of Paradise off the map and killed 86 people in 2018, just a few minutes away. kilometers away.