Rabat – As California still grapples with the aftermath of a devastating month of wildfires that engulfed several counties, a new fire has erupted in Los Angeles, forcing tens of thousands to flee.
The Hughes fire erupted 72 kilometers north-west of the city of Los Angeles Wednesday morning, BBC reported. It ignited near Cstain Lake in a mountainous area close to several residential areas and schools.
The fast-moving fire rapidly spread to more than four hectares in a matter of hours, fueled by strong winds and dry bush.
Officials said they are confident in the firefighters’ ability to control the blaze. Authorities have not reported any material damage or human losses.
More than 31,000 residents are under a mandatory evacuation order while authorities warned 23,000 others that they may have to flee if the fire further spreads.
“The situation remains dynamic and the fire remains a difficult fire to contain, although we are getting the upper hand,” Los Angeles County fire chief Anthony Marrone told the press.
Authorities said this morning that 14% of the fire was contained, with Marrone expressing confidence that firefighting teams are making progress.
The region continues to reel from a month of yet-to-be-fully-contained wildfires that claimed the lives of dozens of people and destroyed at least 10,000 homes and businesses.
Newly-elected President Donald Trump expressed disapproval at the Biden administration’s handling of the wildfires when they first broke out weeks ago, and now threatens to place conditions on federal disaster aid allocated for the disaster.
“I don’t think we should give California anything until they let the water run down,” Trump said on Wednesday. He also previously criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom for his forest management policies, claiming that under his leadership, the state’s fish conservation efforts led their hydrants to run dry
These comments have been fact-checked by experts however, and proven false. “There’s no such document,” responded Izzy Gardon, Newsom’s communications director to the press. “That is pure fiction.”
