Mass Evacuation Due to Large Wildfire in California, USA

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] A large wildfire that started in Northern California, USA, has spread rapidly, prompting an evacuation order for the entire famous tourist city.

According to the Associated Press on the 30th (local time), the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection issued an evacuation order for the entire city of South Lake Tahoe in El Dorado County as the Caldor Fire rapidly expanded with strong winds.

Residents and tourists hurriedly packed their belongings and fled, and evacuation vehicles lined up in long queues on the highway connecting Sacramento, the capital of California, and Nevada.

South Lake Tahoe, with a population of 22,000, is a tourist city located by the famous Lake Tahoe in California. It is known as a year-round resort city where visitors can enjoy water sports, hiking, golf, and skiing depending on the season.

The Associated Press reported, "The city was completely blocked by vehicles fleeing the wildfire," adding, "Vehicles carrying bicycles, camping equipment, and boats flooded the roads, causing traffic jams, and they could not move in the hazy brown smoke emitted by the wildfire."

A resident who evacuated said, "Until this morning, I thought the fire would not reach here, but now the wildfire threat has become a reality," expressing concern. Another resident who runs a hotel said, "I have lived here for a long time, but this is the first time experiencing such a situation," adding, "My throat hurts from the wildfire smoke, and the children are crying."

The city's main medical facility, Barton Memorial Hospital, urgently transferred patients to other hospitals, and the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office sent inmates to neighboring prisons.

The Caldor Fire, which started on the 14th in the forest area east of Sacramento, has burned an area of 717 square kilometers, larger than Chicago. The fire spread further on the 29th with strong winds, and the containment rate dropped from 19% to 14%.

Fire District Chief Erich Schwab said, "In the past few weeks, the wildfire moved 0.8 km daily, but it moved at a speed of 4 km in just one day," adding, "There is no sign that the wildfire spread will slow down."

The Meteorological Agency warned that gusts of up to 56 km/h are expected and cautioned about the wildfire's spread. Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak declared a state of emergency as forecasts suggested that the Caldor Fire could spread beyond California into Nevada with the wind.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.