A nearly uncontrollable wildfire showed no mercy Tuesday and burnning several homes in California’s Big Sur region.
An unusual late fall wildfire that broke out on Sunday night in the US state of Californiaâ„¢s Big Sur region has so far destroyed more than a dozen homes and forced about 100 people to flee their homes.
The slow-moving fire in Los Padres National Forest had consumed 769 acres, or about 3 square kilometers, by Tuesday night and was only 20 percent contained, according to the Associated Press.
The wildfire, fueled by drought conditions, has already destroyed 22 buildings, including 14 homes, Los Padres National Forest spokesman Lynn Olson said.
Mark Nunez, a commander of the team fighting the fire said about 830 firefighters have deployed to the Big Sur area, a popular tourist destination about 150 miles south of San Francisco with high-end resorts and beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean.
Monterey County Sheriff Scott Miller says the lack of precipitation this year – less than a half-inch since July in an area that normally gets several inches in the fall – is likely part of what fueled the blaze. “It’s just bone-dry out here,” he said.
A wildfire at this time of the year is unusual in Northern California, where the fire season is generally at its peak over the summer, said Larry Smith, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Monterey.
The area has received about 7 inches of rain this year, about 16 percent of its normal amount, Smith said. “That’s very, very dry.”
AHT/ARA
Source: Press TV