Tens of thousands flee as the city of Paradise California fades

PARADISE, Calif. – Tens of thousands of people fled a fast-moving fire in northern California on Thursday, pushing babies and pets as they drove off vehicles and walked in front of the flames that forced the evacuation of an entire city and destroyed hundreds of people. structures.

"Almost the entire community of Paradise is destroyed, it is this kind of devastation," said Captain Scott McLean, of Cal Cal, Thursday night. "The wind that has been predicted has come and gone to annihilate it."

McLean estimated that a few thousand structures had been destroyed in the city of 27,000 people located about 290 km northeast of San Francisco. The extent of injuries and the number of specific injuries were not known immediately, as officials could not access the danger zone.

At a press conference, Darren Read, head of Butte County's CalFire, said two firefighters and several residents had been injured.

In her escape, Gina Oviedo described a devastating scene in which flames engulfed houses, caused explosions and overturned utility poles.

"Things started to explode," Oviedo said. "People started getting out of their vehicles and running."

An Associated Press photographer has seen dozens of businesses and homes razed or flamed, including an alcohol store and a gas station.

"This is a very dangerous and very serious situation," said Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea. "I'm driving through the fire right now. We are doing everything we can to get people out of the affected areas. "

The fire broke out as the wind blew over the state, creating an extreme fire danger. A wind-blown fire north of Los Angeles in Ventura County burned about 15,000 acres (23 square miles) and at least one house in a matter of hours. This resulted in evacuations from a mobile home park, a university campus and a small community. A nearby fire was smaller and measured less than 1,000 acres but was moving fast.

California's interim governor, Gavin Newsom, has declared the state of emergency for the stricken northern California region.

Shari Bernacett said her husband had tried to get people out of the Paradise mobile home park that they manage. He "knocked on doors, shouted and shouted" to alert as many residents as possible, said Bernacett.

"My husband did his best to get everyone out. The whole hill is on fire. God help us! She said before falling into tears. She and her husband grabbed their dog, jumped into their van and went through the flames before going to safety, she said.

Terrifying videos posted on social media showed cars driving on roads that looked like fire tunnels with flames on both sides of the road.

Worried friends and family members posted frantic messages on Twitter and other sites claiming they were looking for loved ones, especially seniors who were living alone or in retirement homes.

Among them was Kim Curtis, looking for her grandmother, who told her family on Thursday at 8 o'clock that she would run away from her idyllic home in her Buick with her cat. Her 70-year-old grandmother, who lives alone, never showed up at a meeting point in Chico.

"We just published on all social media. And honestly, I pray for a miracle, "said Curtis, who lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Officials sent as many firefighters as possible, said Cal Fire spokesman Rick Carhart.

"Every engine we could ignite is burning right now, and others are coming," he said. "There are dozens of strike teams we bring from all parts of the state."

The sheriff confirmed information that the evacuees had to abandon their vehicles. Rescuers tried to put them in other vehicles, he said.

"We are working very hard to get people out. The message I want to convey is this: if you can evacuate, you have to evacuate, "Honea said.

The fire was reported around the time of day. In the space of six hours, the network had reached more than 69 square kilometers, said Gaddie.

A thick gray smoke and ashes invaded the sky above paradise and were seen from afar.

Fire officials said the flames were being fanned by wind, low humidity, dry air, and scrub and soil severely thirsty after months without rain.

"Basically, we have not had rain since last May or before," said Fire Chief, Read. "Everything is a very receptive fuel bed. It's a fast spread rate. "

At Paradise Hospital, more than 60 patients were evacuated to other facilities and some buildings were set on fire and damaged. But the main facility, the Adventist Health Feather River Hospital, was not, said spokeswoman Jill Kinney.

Some of the patients were first bypbaded during their evacuation because of traffic congestion and were then flown to other hospitals, along with the staff, said Kinney.

Four hospital employees were briefly trapped in the basement and rescued by officers from the California Highway Patrol, Kinney said.

The National Weather Service has issued red flag warnings about fire hazards in many parts of the state, indicating that low humidity and strong winds are expected to continue until 39. Friday night.

–

Associate press editors Paul Elias, Jocelyn Gecker, Janie Har, Daisy Nguyen, Olga R. Rodriguez, Sudhin Thanawala and Juliet Williams in San Francisco, Sophia Bollag in Sacramento and Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu contributed to the writing of this report.