On Sunday, the flames spread almost uncontrollably, despite the fact that 2,000 fire crews with aircraft and bulldozers are trying to prevent the fire from spreading this year. Over the course of the night to Sunday, the flames have affected almost 58,000 acres of forest.
State of emergency declared
Over 6,000 people have been evacuated, a dozen houses have been burnt down and several thousand other properties are in danger of being consumed by the flames.
SPREADING AT RECORD SPEED: A fire plane drops water on the forest fire that has been spreading at record speed since Friday in Mariposa, California. Photo: Noah Berger / AP / NTB
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It is extremely dry in the areas where it is burning, and in combination with unusually high temperatures, it has created almost explosive conditions, according to the fire authority in Mariposa county.
The fire started as a brush fire in Midpines in Mariposa County on Friday.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency in the county due to the fire and its ripple effects.
A firefighter on top of a fire truck shortly after he arrived in Jerseydale in Mariposa, California on Sunday to participate in the extinguishing of the powerful forest fire that broke out on Friday Photo: Noah Berger / AP / NTB
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– Must take action
Former vice president of the United States, Al Gore, says according to The Guardian that “the survival of civilization is at stake”, and warns against the consequences of the global emission of fossil fuels.
– We see this global emergency continuing, and it is getting worse even faster than was predicted. We must take action. This should be a moment for a global revelation, he tells ABC News.
Gore has tried to face the climate challenge in American politics ever since the 1970s, and in 2007 was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize together with the UN climate panel. He was Bill Clinton’s vice president between 1993 and 2001.
The climate crisis: – Collective action or suicide
Greece hit hard
The island of Lesvos has also been badly hit by fire, and on Saturday over 450 tourists and locals were evacuated. On Sunday, however, the fire service is slowly getting control of the flames.
FOREST FIRE: Flames rise from a forest near the village of Krestena, south of Olympia. The area is around 320 kilometers southwest of Athens. Photo: Giannis Spyrounis / ilialive.gr / AP / NTB
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Hot and dry weather has led to 141 forest fires flaring up in Greece in the last three days. At least seven extensive fires are still active.
In recent days, Greece has had temperatures of up to 41 degrees in some places. It is expected that the heat will continue for several days.
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