Trump to visit Saudi Arabia in mid-May: Report    Worshippers in Makkah and Madinah perform Eid Al-Fitr prayer    Saudi authorities shut down food factories and branches over suspected poisoning cases    Saudi Arabia welcomes formation of new Syrian government, expresses hope for stronger ties    Saudi Transport Authority says passengers can ride for free if taxi meters are off    Ministry of Education forms 425 community partnerships with SR653 million impact    Defense, interior, and national guard ministers extend Eid greetings, praise efforts of military and security personnel    Syria forms new government with 22 ministers including one woman President Sharaa vows reform and transparency    Israeli army fires warning shots at UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon    Denmark rebukes US Vice President Vance over Greenland remarks    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Makkah and Madinah mobile data usage exceeds global average during Ramadan: CST    Elon Musk's xAI acquires X in all-stock deal    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Saudi creatives shine at Jeddah's Fawanees Nights with art, fashion, and storytelling    100 Thieves claim Marvel Rivals Invitational NA crown as 2025 scene heats up    T1 CEO confirms Gumayusi's return for LCK Spring after lineup shakeup    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Saudi Arabia hold Japan to goalless draw in Saitama to stay in World Cup hunt    NewJeans announces hiatus after setback in court battle    George Foreman, heavyweight champion and cultural icon, dies at 76    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Californians desperately flee their homes amid raging wildfires
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 08 - 11 - 2024

Terrie Morin, 60, and her husband, Dave, were at the barber shop when they heard about a raging wildfire making headway toward their Camarillo home on Wednesday morning.
The couple were hosting two guests at the time, but because their guests worked late, Morin suspected they slept through the residence's fire alarms.
"I run in the house, and I'm banging on the door, and they did not hear me. They were knocked out," Morin told CNN. "Get the dog. Get out of here. You don't have time, just get out!" she recalled telling them.
Ten minutes later, Dave noticed sparks in their backyard. The temperature was also picking up.
"It was hot. It was so hot," Morin recalled.
Dozens of homes in California's Ventura County were set alight in a sweeping wildfire that burned through thousands of acres of land in just a matter of hours midweek –– prompting authorities to send more than 14,000 evacuation notices across the region.
The Mountain Fire began early Wednesday and was driven by winds gusting over 60 mph. The flames have seared through more than 20,485 acres of land, according to Cal Fire.
The families who evacuated at a moment's notice, some who say they have now lost their homes, must deal with other losses that can also be devastating, from daily essentials like medications and shoes to meaningful possessions such as sculptures and artwork, to treasured keepsakes from the birth of a child or the life of a parent.
At least 132 properties have been destroyed by the fire, while 88 have been left damaged, Ventura County Fire Department officials said Thursday evening. Ten damage inspection teams have been deployed to inspect structures along the path of the blaze.
Ten people endured non-life-threatening injuries from the Mountain Fire, which are mostly related to smoke inhalation, Ventura County Sheriff Jim Fryhoff said.
By the time Morin, her husband and their friends got out of the house, the fire had caught on to the surrounding trees. Smoke was everywhere, she told CNN.
In a panic, the California native grabbed her husband's diabetes medication, her laptop, and some dresses, but she couldn't get hold of everything she wanted in time –– including clothes and other memorabilia from when her son was a baby.
The four adults made their escape through clouds of thick smoke.
"We couldn't see anything. We were basically driving just in the smoke. (Dave) was freaking out. And I was telling him, 'Dave, pull over. Let me take the wheel. I'm OK. Pull over,'" Morin said.
According to the sheriff's office, a total of 400 homes were evacuated by officials, while 800 homes that were door-knocked appeared to have already been evacuated; 250 residents chose to stay, Fryhoff said.
"We see it over and over and over: People have the best intentions to stay and defend their home right up until the time the fire hits their home," Ventura County Fire Chief Dustin Gardner said.
"And it gets hot, and it gets smoky. You can't see, you can't breathe, and you sure as hell can't defend your home. And then you're stuck, and then our firefighters have to get in, pull you out."
Some, with fireproofing in the structures of their homes, were exceptions. Steven Snyder was one of them.
Synder, a resident of Camarillo, went to bed on Wednesday as the Mountain Fire raged around his fireproofed home.
"When I looked out the window it looked like little campfires that were sparking up," Snyder told CNN, adding that he watched the fire come over the hill in his direction.
When Snyder woke up on Thursday, the land around him was charred. Many of his neighbors' homes were on fire.
Fire personnel in the area urged Snyder, his wife, daughter, and 7-week-old granddaughter to stay home. The family had lost power but had plenty of water and food –– which they shared with fire personnel.
Firefighters have been working aggressively to gain control of the Mountain Fire by dropping water from helicopters. The fire, which was at 0% containment for over 24 hours is now at 5% containment, according to Cal Fire.
The worst of the winds, which prompted the fire to spread more quickly on Wednesday through Thursday morning, were gusting at 30 mph to 40 mph, according to a CNN weather analysis. Winds have been steadily decreasing throughout Thursday afternoon, and conditions are set to improve with humidity increasing through the weekend.
Winds will blow at 5 mph to 10 mph Friday –– a huge improvement from the gusts of 60 mph earlier this week.
Red flag warnings have expired for the Los Angeles area and will expire for the Los Angeles and Ventura County Mountains by Friday at 11 a.m. PST.
Though reasons for the Mountain Fire's rapid spread are clear, its cause remains unknown, a Ventura County fire official said Thursday morning.
The county fire department's investigation unit is working on several things, including determining whether power lines were involved in causing the fire, Johnson said when asked about power lines as a possible cause.
"I could tell you that there could be a million things that start a fire," Johnson said. "When a fire like that breaks, we don't initially go to 'What started this?' Our job is to bring stabilization, so we went immediately to work in that regard."
Other devastating wildfires have previously been blamed on fallen power lines that remained energized, prompting power companies to plan for broad shutoffs before that can happen again.
As a precaution, Southern California Edison, Southern California's main electric provider, cut off power intentionally overnight Wednesday to 69,931 customers – including 23,603 in Ventura County – as part of its Public Safety Power Shutoff plan.
Fall marks a critical inflection point for California's fire season.
The combination of very windy and very dry conditions primes the landscape, turning it into tinder-dry fuel that can easily catch fire with the smallest spark and then spread rapidly in high winds.
As the world warms due to fossil fuel pollution, scenarios like the Mountain Fire could play out more frequently.
The number of extreme fall fire-weather days in California has more than doubled since the early 1980s because of warmer and drier autumns as global temperatures rise, CNN previously reported. — CNN


Clic here to read the story from its source.