It is hoped that the end of the terrible heat will ease the situation.
The nearly forty-degree heat that has lasted for several days has fueled wildfires in California, Idaho, Oregon and Nevada.
One of the fires in the San Bernandino Valley has been glowing so hot that it has generated its own thunderstorm-like weather phenomena. The fire incites its own gusts of wind and lightning strikes into the clouds.
– These are areas where there have been no fires for decades, so the vegetation does provide fuel for the fires, says the spokesman for the San extinguishing operation Rick Carhart.
At least 6,000 people have been evacuated from the fire raging in the San Bernandino Valley. The approximately one hundred kilometer fire area is located one hundred kilometers east of Los Angeles.
Southeast of Los Angeles, firefighters are battling another fire in Trabuco Canyon in Orange County. The fire threatens the dense suburban area on the edge of the canyon. An evacuation order was in force in the area on Monday.
A wildfire near Reno, Nevada has forced 20,000 people to flee their homes.
Extinguishing works are expected to be facilitated by the weather change. The record heat is expected to end today, Tuesday.
AP, Reuters