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Rescuers in California have been airlifting dozens of people trapped by a major fire, as crews continue to fight fires across the state.
An initial attempt to rescue the group, stranded in the mountain shelter for two nights, was abandoned Monday night due to smoke from the Creek Fire.
But the helicopters were able to land early Tuesday to get the hikers to safety.
The fires in California have burned a record 2 million acres in recent weeks.
In total, these fires cover an area larger than the US state of Delaware. On Tuesday, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection issued a “red flag” warning for nearly the entire state, as well as parts of neighboring states. The advisory is meant to signal that the state has the highest risk of rapid fires.
California is currently experiencing a historic heat wave.
Los Angeles County reported its highest temperature of 121 ° F (49.4 ° C) on Sunday. Temperatures have dropped since then, but strong winds are expected to fan the flames through Wednesday.
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More than 14,000 firefighters fight 25 major fires in California.
The Creek Fire is the largest. It erupted in the Sierra Mountains, a major tourist spot, northeast of Fresno on Friday.
The fire has burned about 144,000 acres and none have been contained, Fresno Fire Chief Tony Escobedo said late Monday.
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How do the rescues unfold?
Early Tuesday, the California National Guard began efforts to reach groups of hikers and campers trapped by the Creek Fire in the Sierra National Forest.
About 50 had been forced to take refuge at Vermilion Valley Resort on Sunday.
Starting at 03:15 local time (10:15 GMT), three helicopters were dispatched to the area. Photos released by Vermilion Valley Resort showed hikers lining up to board a waiting plane.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the National Guard had rescued about 150 people and six dogs from the projected trail of the Creek Fire, Gov. Gavin Newsom said.
Colonel David Hall of the California National Guard said early Tuesday that there were “a lot of people who are still trying to be rescued.”
An earlier attempt was called off Monday night due to heavy smoke. “The weather and the smoke are cooperating with us a little bit better,” Col Hall told NBC News on Tuesday.
None of those still stranded are currently in the fire danger area, he said, although they may be at risk if the fire continues to grow.
Over the weekend, 200 hikers were rescued from the area. The fire devastated the small town of Big Creek, destroying at least two dozen homes, the Los Angeles Times reports.
What about the other fires?
Valley Fire in San Diego County has burned more than 17,000 acres and prompted the evacuation of the remote town of Alpine.
Bobcat Fire in Angeles National Forest has destroyed nearly 5,000 acres and forced the evacuation of the Mount Wilson Observatory.
Another fire, the one in El Dorado in San Bernardino County, started with fireworks during a gender reveal party on Saturday, authorities said.
Gender reveal parties are celebrations that announce whether expectant parents are having a girl or a boy. In recent years, several large-scale parties have gone awry, even resulting in the death of a woman in 2019.
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EPA
People staying in the Sierra National Forest have been preparing for evacuation
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The governor has declared a state of emergency in five counties
California has seen nearly 1,000 wildfires since August 15, often caused by lightning.
There have been at least eight deaths and more than 3,300 structures have been destroyed, state agency Cal Fire said Monday.
Power is being cut to residents of 22 counties to prevent sparks from power lines from starting new fires. More than 170,000 inhabitants are affected.
In 2018, 1.96 million acres were burned, the highest level since Cal Fire began tracking numbers in 1987.
Lynne Tolmachoff, a Cal Fire spokeswoman, told the Associated Press on Monday: “It’s a bit disconcerting because September and October are historically our worst months for fires. It’s usually hot and fuels get really dry. And we see more events. of wind”.
