California wildfires: 'several' injured, multiple homes destroyed

photo:agencies

A wind-swept wildfire in rural Northern California tore through a neighborhood and destroyed about 100 homes and other buildings, fire officials said Saturday after at least two people were injured and thousands were forced from their homes.

The Mill Fire started shortly before 1 p.m. Friday just north of Weed, a city of about 2,600 people 250 miles (402 kilometers) north of San Francisco. The flames raced into the Lincoln Heights neighborhood where a significant number of homes burned and residents had to flee for their lives.

Two people were brought to Mercy Medical Center Mount Shasta. One was in stable condition and the other was transferred to UC Davis Medical Center, which has a burn unit.

Suzi Brady, a Cal Fire spokeswoman, said that several people were injured and taken to a hospital, but did not know the extent of the injuries, reports the Associated Press.

She told reporters that the blaze was being fanned by winds of up to 36mph and that 200 firefighters are battling it on the ground and from the air.

The fire began on the property of a lumber mill owned by Roseburg Forest Products, north of the town of Weed, California.

New Incident : CAL FIRE and multiple local fire departments at scene of #MillFire 200+ acres with dangerous rate of spread. Hundred of home threatened. Multiple evacuation orders and warnings are in place. Follow Siskiyou County Sheriff Office for exact evacuations information. pic.twitter.com/aGWoS3zpWJ

— CAL FIRE SKU (@CALFIRESKU) September 2, 2022

According to Phil Anzo, the chief of the Cal Fire Siskiyou Unit, workers worked day and night to safeguard buildings in Weed and the neighbouring Carrick Addition neighbourhood to the east.

There are many factors involved in the Mill Fire, he stated. There are numerous villages and residences there.

Firefighters were able to confine 20% of the Mountain Fire, which started Friday night northwest of Weed, because weather conditions improved over night. There had been no reports of casualties or damaged buildings from that incident. Both flames' origins were being looked into. 

Rebecca Taylor, communications director for Oregon-based Roseburg Forest Products said the company did not know where or how the fire had started on Friday.

OES Intel 12, Sept 2nd on the #MillFire, SKU. Fire is mapped at 555 acres at 13:55 hours. pic.twitter.com/fWhPmHowbD

— FIRIS (@FIRIS) September 2, 2022

Anzo calculated that the Mill Fire destroyed roughly 100 dwellings and other buildings. Siskiyou County was placed under a state of emergency by Governor Gavin Newsom, who also announced the receipt of a federal funding "to help ensure the availability of crucial resources to suppress the fire."

California is experiencing a severe drought as the worst of the fire season approaches. According to scientists, the West has become warmer and drier over the past three decades due to climate change, and this trend will continue to increase weather extremes and the frequency and destructiveness of wildfires.

The largest and most devastating wildfire ever recorded in California occurred over the past five years. Three significant fires in weed have occurred since 2014.

The most recent fire started at Roseburg Forest Products, which manufactures wood products, or close by. Quickly, instructions to evacuate 7,500 persons were issued.

When she heard "a tremendous boom" while at home in Lincoln Heights, according to Yvasha Hilliard, she hurried outdoors to find her neighbor's house on fire.