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More than 200 campers trapped by a major wildfire in the US state of California could only be rescued by air over the weekend. After their dramatic rescue with “Chinook” and “Black Hawk” helicopters of the United States National Guard from the area of the fire, those affected remain under the influence of the events.
“We thought we were going to die,” Jerber Maradiaga told the San Francisco Chronicle. Wrapped in wet towels, he and his family reportedly waited by the lake. Saúl Hernández jumped into the water with his friends. He could hardly have breathed from the smoke, the 26-year-old described the scene. “It felt like we were sitting in an oven.”
Campers and hikers had long had to fear for their lives. Rapidly spreading wildfires turned parts of California into a fiery inferno. On Sunday night, flames surrounded a campsite at the Mammoth Pool reservoir in the Sierra Nevada. The way back on the only road was blocked by fallen trees.
The National Guard took the trapped vacationers to Fresno that night. According to figures from the Madera County Sheriff, 20 injured, some with broken bones and burns, were rushed to hospitals.
Several places are evacuated
Californian Juliana Park posted a video of her adventurous escape in the burning forest car. She quickly interrupted a planned walk with friends when ash fell on her. The short video shows how the group must avoid the burning flames on both sides of the road.
The flames from the so-called Creek Fire had spread to nearly 185 square kilometers from Friday night to Sunday night. Almost 500 firefighters battled the flames in the inaccessible forest area. According to the fire department, the fire in the Sierra National Forest threatened up to 3,000 homes. Evacuation was ordered for various locations. At the southern end of Yosemite National Park, Mariposa Grove with its famous redwoods was closed to visitors Sunday night.
The cause of the “creek fire” is unclear. Hundreds of fires in the West Coast state had been caused by lightning in recent weeks. In extremely hot conditions, new fires broke out in Southern California over the weekend. Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for the affected regions on Sunday. In this way, money and resources can be available more quickly.
California has had a heat wave under control since Saturday. In Woodland Hills, northwest of Los Angeles, 49.4 degrees Celsius was measured on Sunday, the NOAA weather agency said. This is a record for Los Angeles County. The fire department asked residents of affected regions in the state to spend as little time outdoors as possible due to rising temperatures this long holiday weekend. Intense heat and drought should continue in much of California for the next few days.
California, which often suffers from droughts, is regularly hit by wildfires. Normally, the worst fires do not occur until late summer. Paradise in northern California was hit particularly hard in November 2018. The “camp” fire, sparked by faulty electrical lines, spread rapidly through violent winds. 85 people died and tens of thousands were left homeless.
In the past, US President Donald Trump has also politically instrumentalized the fires by accusing the state of forest mismanagement. He rejected experts’ assessment that increased drought, heat and extreme weather conditions were exacerbating the situation as a result of climate change.
