US heat wave bakes Americans as California wildfire rages

Millions of Americans are under extreme heat warnings as the record-setting temperature rises, while a major fire ravaged part of California.

Over the past few days, the excruciating heat has increased the risk of wildfires such as the major Oak Fire, which broke out Friday in California near Yosemite National Park, home to hundreds of giant sequoias, the world’s largest trees by volume.

The fire, described as “explosive” by officials, grew from about 600 acres to around 11,900 acres (4,800 hectares) within 24 hours. Concentrated in Mariposa County, it has already destroyed ten properties, damaged five others and put thousands at risk.

Hector Vasquez, a California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection official, said that more than 6,000 people, living across a several-mile span in the sparsely populated rural area, had been evacuated.

According to the department, the fire's activity was “extreme” and that emergency personnel were working to evacuate residents and protect structures.

“Explosive fire behavior is challenging firefighters,” the department said in a statement Saturday morning.

More than 400 firefighters assisted by water-dropping helicopters, aircraft and bulldozers are fighting the blaze and are facing tough conditions that included hot weather, low humidity and bone-dry vegetation caused by the worst drought in decades, Vasquez said.

In recent years, California and other parts of the western United States have been ravaged by huge and fast-moving wildfires. Drought and high temperatures have been “not in our favor,” Vasquez added.

Various regions of the globe have been hit by extreme heatwaves in recent months, such as Western Europe in July and India in March to April, incidents that scientists say are an unmistakable sign of climate change.

Five separate high-pressure weather systems across the northern hemisphere, which are linked by atmospheric waves, have led to unprecedented temperatures on multiple continents.

MG