Northern California's Caldor Fire is burning uncontrollably in El Dorado County, with officials describing it as an "unprecedented" blaze.
The fire has destroyed multiple structures, including a school and church, forced thousands to evacuate, and left two people injured. The blaze was sparked on Saturday evening south of Grizzly Flats, and by Tuesday morning had scorched 6,500 acres. The fire exploded on Tuesday thanks to high winds, and as of Wednesday morning had burned 53,772 acres. The Candor Fire has unusually high flame lengths, fire response spokesman Chris Vestal said, and is described in an incident report as being "unprecedented," the Los Angeles Times reports. It is at zero percent containment.
Grizzly Flats and Leoni Meadows have both been "heavily impacted" by the fire, Mike Blankenheim with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said, and the full extent of the damage isn't yet known. The flames are spreading across rugged terrain, and there are more hand crews on the scene because the heavy machinery can't make it through some of the canyons, Blankenheim said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Senate votes to kill Trump’s Brazil tariffSpeed Read Five Senate Republicans joined the Democrats in rebuking Trump’s import tax
-
Gaza ceasefire teeters as Netanyahu orders strikesSpeed Read Israel accused Hamas of firing on Israeli troops
-
Border Patrol gets scrutiny in court, gains power in ICESpeed Read Half of the new ICE directors are reportedly from DHS’s more aggressive Customs and Border Protection branch
-
Hurricane Melissa slams Jamaica as Category 5 stormSpeed Read The year’s most powerful storm is also expected to be the strongest ever recorded in Jamaica
-
Renewables top coal as Trump seeks reversalSpeed Read For the first time, renewable energy sources generated more power than coal, said a new report
-
China vows first emissions cut, sidelining USSpeed Read The US, the world’s No. 2 emitter, did not attend the New York summit
-
At least 800 dead in Afghanistan earthquakespeed read A magnitude 6.0 earthquake hit a mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan
-
Massive earthquake sends tsunami across PacificSpeed Read Hundreds of thousands of people in Japan and Hawaii were told to evacuate to higher ground
-
FEMA Urban Search and Rescue chief resignsSpeed Read Ken Pagurek has left the organization, citing 'chaos'
-
Wildfires destroy historic Grand Canyon lodgeSpeed Read Dozens of structures on the North Rim have succumbed to the Dragon Bravo Fire
-
Search for survivors continues after Texas floodsSpeed Read A total of 82 people are confirmed dead, including 28 children
