Two dead in California fires, thousands evacuated

LOS ANGELES—At least two people have died in a fire in central California that has destroyed 100 structures and prompted the governor to declare a state of emergency, officials said Friday.

The fast-moving blaze that erupted late Thursday afternoon in the Lake Isabella area of Kern County had spread to about 30,000 acres (121 square kilometers) by Friday afternoon and was five percent contained, authorities said

The Kern County Fire Department confirmed the two fatalities in a message on Twitter but provided no further details.

It said firefighters were dealing with strong winds that were fanning the so-called Erskine fire — located three hours north of Los Angeles.

Governor Jerry Brown issued a state of emergency for the region, allowing aid to be deployed more quickly.

“Anne and I extend our heartfelt sympathies to everyone impacted by this destructive blaze,” the governor said in a statement, referring to his wife.

“We join all Californians in expressing our gratitude to the courageous firefighters, emergency personnel and volunteers working tirelessly throughout Kern County to help residents and extinguish this fire.”

Local media said 80 homes had been destroyed by the flames, which quickly went out of control and that number was likely to grow.

Thousands of residents have also been evacuated.

“This fire … it exploded. It went from 2 to thousands of acres within hours,” county fire captain Tyler Townsend told reporters.

Fire officials said some 800 firefighters were battling the blaze and several hundred more were on the way.

“The mountainous terrain, five years of drought and wind gusts …drove a fire over 11 miles in 13 hours,” said county fire Chief Brian Marshall, quoted by KTLA.

“Our firefighters … have been engaged in a firefight of epic proportions, trying to save every structure possible.”

Authorities closed several highways and evacuated two schools and a retirement home in the agricultural and oil region after the blaze started due to unknown causes.

California is experiencing a record five-year drought and trees and brush are at risk of igniting from the smallest spark.

Temperatures that climbed to more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) earlier this week increased the risk of fire.

More than 14 large fires are currently raging in the United States, mostly in the southwest, where a record heat wave left at least five dead last Sunday.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

State of emergency declared in California gas leak

The governor of California on Wednesday declared a state of emergency in a Los Angeles community where a massive gas leak has forced thousands of nearby residents from their homes.

In issuing the emergency order, Governor Jerry Brown said all state agencies would be mobilized to stop the leak that started in October in the Los Angeles suburb of Porter Ranch, to protect public health, and to help the local community.

"All state agencies will utilize state personnel, equipment, and facilities to ensure a continuous and thorough state response to this incident," Brown said in a statement.

He said his office would closely monitor the situation and provide timely updates to residents of the gated community located some 30 miles (48 kilometers) northwest of downtown Los Angeles.

Brown said he had met on Monday with Porter Ranch residents, thousands of whom have been relocated to temporary housing by the local gas company after complaining of headaches, nausea and nose bleeds.

Kristine Lloyd, a spokeswoman for the Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), said everything possible was being done to fix the leak, which officials have estimated was spewing out between 30,000 and 58,000 kilograms (66,000 and 127,000 pounds) of methane into the air per hour.

"Our focus remains on quickly and safely stopping the leak and minimizing the impact to our neighbors in Porter Ranch," she said in a statement.

"SoCalGas reaffirms our prior commitment to mitigate the environmental impact of the actual amount of natural gas released from the leak."

Officials have said that while the methane leaking from the Aliso Canyon facility poses no immediate danger to human health, its impact on the environment is significant as it is a potent greenhouse gas.

The California Air Resources Board estimates that the leak is so massive that at its peak at the end of November, it increased the West Coast state's greenhouse gas output from methane by as much as 25 percent.

"We really won't be able to assess the impact until the leak is sealed and we have data for the whole incident," said David Clegern, a spokesman for the governmental agency.

"But this is a lot of greenhouse gas for a single incident and it will need to be mitigated."

The leak was detected on October 23 in a well at more than 8,000 feet underground and SoCal Gas estimates it may take until the end of March for the repairs to be completed. — Agence France-Presse

source: gmanetwork.com