Wahshington, Europe Breif News – Hundreds of people left their homes as fire has spread across 150 acres near Laguna Beach, California.
The fire erupted for unknown reasons in hills above the Orange County community of Emerald Bay near Laguna Beach.
Firefighters are continuing to battle the wildfire, prompting hundreds to evacuate.
Fire trucks deployed in front of nearly every home in the multimillion-dollar community. However, the cause was under investigation.
Southern California is regularly experiencing record high temperatures for the time of year.
Officials say the firefighters have contained 10 per cent of the blaze. But, the officials decided to lift evacuation orders.
State and county parks in the area remain closed for the time being.
The blaze marked the second California wildfire this winter, following a January blaze near Big Sur.
“We no longer have a fire season. We have a fire year,” Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy told an Emerald Fire briefing. “It’s February 10. It’s the middle of winter. We’re anticipating 80-, 90-degree weather.”
Last year, California wildfires scorched more than 4,000 square miles and more than 3,600 structures burned, according to preliminary data from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
In 2020, a staggering 6,600 square miles and nearly 9,250 structures burned. Cal Fire’s report on the 2020 fire siege noted: “Since 2015, the term ‘unprecedented’ has been used year over year as conditions have worsened, and the operational reality of a changing climate sets in.”
The U.S. Drought Monitor’s report Thursday showed that the recovery started by the December deluge has stalled: More than 99% of California remains in drought, much of it categorized as severe.
