President Donald Trump approved a declaration of a state of emergency in California on Friday, ordering federal assistance in response to multiple wildfires that have broken out and continue to cause massive damage in the state since December 4.
New fires continued to spread throughout Southern California from Thursday into Friday as firefighters battled to contain those fires that have already been burning throughout the week, and dangerous weather persisted.
Several wildfires in Southern California continued to blaze out of control into Wednesday morning, as firefighters reported “zero containment” on the Thomas fire near Ventura and the Creek fire near Sylmar in Los Angeles.
A masive wildfire that erupted overnight and burned over 30,000 acres has forced 27,000 people in Ventura County to evacuate their homes as 150 structures were destroyed, according to reports from local news and wire services.
The U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) issued a detainer request on the Sonoma County Jail for Jesus Fabian Gonzalez, who was arrested Sunday on suspicion of arson in Wine Country fires that have killed at least 40 residents.
Cooler weather brought on by onshore winds helped more than 1600 firefighters knock down the “Canyon Fire 2” that ravaged the Orange County hillsides around Anaheim, Tustin, and Orange Monday and Tuesday.
California fire authorities listed 82 active fires burning across the state, with the worst devastation in the Wine Country, where nine major fires have burnt over 84,000 acres, causing at least 15 deaths and leaving 240 residents missing.
Massive wind-fueled wildfires burned out of control in Napa and Sonoma counties early Monday, destroying an unknown number of structures, forcing school closures and the evacuation of thousands of people as major thoroughfares were shut down by the fast-moving infernos.
TEL AVIV – One-third of the fires raging across the country are suspected to have been caused by arson, Israel police said Sunday.
The iconic Jesus Dome of Durban, South Africa, was completely engulfed in flames Tuesday night, leaving a skeleton of the once-towering Christian Centre. The faithful congregated in prayer around the fire last night, singing hymns and vowing to rebuild.
The sweeping wildfire that has consumed a fifth of Fort McMurray, Canada, has slowed its march over the city’s surrounding forests, but experts still warn it could be “months” before the last ember is put out.
President Barack Obama was in Texas on Friday attending the annual SxSW event where he told millennials and others that government “does great things” because it “is delivering for everybody in this room.” His lecture was to those “who despise every level of government.” He did not tell the Texans who had their homes and businesses destroyed and damaged from severe weather and fires that he has denied them financial assistance.
Firefighters on Saturday morning were responding to a fire at a recycling yard in the Harbor Gateway neighborhood of Los Angeles, officials said.
