Heat wave breaks records across US
An exceptional late-season heat wave is scorching parts of US regions with record-breaking temperatures expected to last into the weekend.
The Caldor Fire in Northern California has surpassed 200,000 acre, spreading into Meyers, a community on the east side of South Lake Tahoe, local officials said.
A forecast of heavy winds threatened to push the Caldor Fire further into the Tahoe Basin, as flames on several fronts moved closer to residential communities and ski resorts, according to a report by the San Francisco Chronicle on Wednesday.
The entire South Lake Tahoe area has been under evacuation orders since Monday, with new evacuations across the Nevada border, reports Xinhua news agency.
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The blaze has burned 204,390 acres with 20 per cent containment as of Wednesday, destroyed 729 buildings in El Dorado and Amador County and threatened thousands more, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE).
Three firefighters and two civilians have suffered injuries since the fire started 17 days ago, CAL FIRE said.
The incident safety officer Jamal Cook warned that crews are mentally and physically tired, which could lead to more accidents.
“Fatigue can and will set in… We all know we have a long grind ahead of us,” he was quoted as saying in the San Francisco Chronicle report.
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