Millions West of US Are Dealing with Fast-Moving Wildfires
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Millions in the West are dealing with the dangers of extreme heat and rapidly-spreading wildfires.
Temperatures in Southern California broke records on Friday. It was 115 degrees (46°C) in Woodland Hills and 112 in Burbank. In Los Angeles, it was 103.
At the same time, nearly 40 large fires are burning in 11 states. So far, families have been ordered to evacuate in Northern California, Colorado and Utah.
On Thursday morning, flames exploded in the Cajon Pass, 50 miles east of Los Angeles -- threatening homes and burning close to a major interstate. An all-out aerial assault prevented what could have been a major fire, CBS reported.
But firefighters remain on edge as reports came throughout the day of pop-up fires, caused by hot dry winds, including one near San Diego. Several homes were lost, according to authorities. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Friday the fire in Alpine is about 150 acres and zero percent contained.
Officials say a fast-moving wildfire near the California-Oregon border has claimed at least one life, and at least a dozen homes have been destroyed.
The conditions prompted California Gov. Jerry Brown to declare a state of emergency, saying there's "extreme peril to persons and property."
