In the southern US state of California, thousands of people were called to seek safety from a forest fire. According to authorities, more than 300 firefighters were on duty Tuesday to battle the Highland fire, in a rural area southeast of the Los Angeles metropolis. The fire department also used several firefighting aircraft. Around 5,700 people were asked to leave the area or prepare to evacuate.
The fire started on Monday in the small town of Aguanga, in Riverside County. Fanned by strong winds, it subsequently spread over an area of around 900 hectares. Three buildings were destroyed by flames.
“The biggest problem now is the strong winds,” fire department spokeswoman Maggie Cline de la Rosa told AFP. The National Weather Service predicted wind speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. The region is currently experiencing so-called Santa Ana winds, which frequently occur in the southwestern United States in the fall. The wind carries dry desert air toward the sea, drastically increasing the risk of vegetation fires.
In California, vegetation has grown significantly this year after a very wet winter. Experts warn that this vegetation could dry out and thus provide fuel for forest and forest fires. Overall, 2023 was a below-average fire year due to heavy rains caused by the El Niño climate phenomenon. El Nino also created the first tropical cyclone to hit California in more than 84 years.