Fires, fire tornadoes, evacuations: state of emergency declared in California due to large-scale natural disaster
California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency and has mobilized the National Guard amid wildfires, record heat waves, "imminent" power outages that could affect millions of residents. Deadline.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency to ensure the availability of vital resources to combat wildfires blazing across the state, exacerbated by the aftermath of the historic West Coast heat wave and prolonged high winds.
“We are using every available resource to keep communities safe as California battles fires across the state in these extreme conditions,” Governor Newsom said. “California and its federal and local partners are working to address this challenge and remain vigilant in the face of ongoing hazardous weather conditions.”
The announcement includes the mobilization of the California National Guard to assist local agencies in numerous ongoing emergencies.
Dramatic footage from the ground shows rapidly growing Lake Fire burning in California as it expands to 10,000 acres, with evacuations ordered. https://t.co/oge9kWXqQ9 pic.twitter.com/mRFHQql37e
- ABC News (@ABC) August 13
Newsom says that "hundreds of fires are currently actively burning throughout California in these extreme weather conditions." And "the number of wildfires raging actively across the state, as well as in other western states, has overwhelmed California's self-help system, making it difficult for jurisdictions to obtain the necessary resources to put out fires in the state and beyond."
The state of emergency was declared shortly after the non-profit corporation that controls much of California's power grid issued a warning stating that "permanent power outages are inevitable."
On the subject: Fires, evacuations, power outages: California was hit by a thunderstorm with hundreds of lightning
LIVE: Salinas, California! Literally creeping up to my grandfather-in-law's home #CaliforniaFires #Calfire pic.twitter.com/jzMSdrtKfk
- Isabella Lawrence (@bellablawrence) August 19
Speaking to reporters, Steve Berberich, CEO of the independent service operator that manages the state's power system, pointed to the severe stress on the electrical system and urged residents and businesses to save energy. According to him, in the event of the transition of the independent system operator of California to the emergency mode of the 3rd level, a gradual power outage will occur. Level 2 has now been introduced.
Berberich said the system is expected to fail at about 2700 megawatts soon. This is the equivalent of nearly three nuclear power plants and enough electricity to meet the needs of about 2 million consumers.
On Monday, August 17, the state faced even more dire prospects. Despite moving to Phase 3, the state managed to avoid power outages that day because rumor had spread, Berberich said, and consumers were cutting back on electricity.
• Over 600,000 COVID cases
•Power outages
• Temperatures breaking 100 °
• Lightning storms
• Wildfires
• Earthquakes near San Andreas
• FIRE TORNADOES ??!DAMN, CALIFORNIA! pic.twitter.com/P6GqFt0XPR
- JOURDON⚡ (@DynamoSuperX) August 17
Hours earlier, President Trump had said Democrats were to blame for the California power outages on Friday and Saturday (August 14 and 15). Officials blamed the blackouts on the weather, the shutdown of the power plant and the sudden brief absence of wind on it.
“On Saturday (August 15) evening,” Berberich said, “we were able to serve the load for an hour without incident... We lost a 400 MW [power plant] unit and the wind was very good, but it stopped. If it weren’t for the wind, everything would be fine.”
California officials ordered evacuations as the Woodward Fire burned 700 acres in Point Reyes National Seashore, a national park on the coastline.
At least 26 wildfire complexes are burning in the state and some of them contain several smaller fires. https://t.co/i9IZsyPcsO pic.twitter.com/XUIjajBvoh
- ABC News (@ABC) August 19
It was very hot, with temperatures in nearby Lake Tahoe breaking a record over the weekend. The National Weather Service in Reno, Nevada, has issued a warning for "pyrocumulus tornado" or "fire tornadoes."
On the subject: Colorado is raging with terrible forest fires: smoke enveloped the entire state and is visible from space
Rare fire tornado seen in California fire
Meteorologists call this phenomenon firenado - short for fire tornado - “fire tornado”, and it was noticed on Saturday, August 15, in one of the fires, writes CNN.
A pyrocumulus cloud forms over rising heat, usually from a fire or volcano. Fire tornadoes occur when the rising heat from a fire draws in smoke, fire, and dirt, creating a swirling vortex above the flames.
A fire tornado in California because it wouldn't be 2020 without one pic.twitter.com/5HbJVsugVm
- Natasha Del Riego (@ndelriego) August 16
Fire tornadoes can be massive and deadly. In 2018, one of them claimed the lives of a firefighter and a bulldozer driver in the Carr Fire. When the National Meteorological Service examined the damage, it determined that it was equivalent to an EF-3 tornado with winds exceeding 143 miles per hour (230 km / h).
Officials in California, Oregon and Colorado are battling a series of wildfires that have collectively destroyed more than 100 acres (000 hectares) of land - and the situation could get worse if extreme heat hits much of the US.
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