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加州森林大火難收拾 州長發布警報

2012年08月24日
摘譯自2012年8月22日ENS美國,加州,沙加緬度報導;李子昂編譯;蔡麗伶審校

2012年8月20日龐德羅莎大火火場中的消防人員。(CALFIRE 提供)美國加州北部三郡的森林大火已摧毀當地居民的家園、迫使民眾撤離並導致道路封閉,回應當地請求,州長Jerry Brown已於22日發布大火警告。

德哈馬郡(Tehama)曼頓(Manton)附近的龐德羅莎大火(Ponderosa Fire)已延燒24323英畝,而有50%的火勢已受到控制。因閃電造成的火災開始於8月18日,並已蔓延至鄰近沙士塔(Shasta)郡。

茂密森林中的大火威脅農村社區,上千人被強制撤離他們的家園。若野火持續延燒,德哈馬和沙士塔郡邊緣約3,500個家庭都將受到威脅。

17日,沙士塔郡警長辦公室封閉44號公路辛格鎮(Shingletown)至維奧拉(Viola)之間的路段,並疏散至少700個戶該區居民。從那時起,安全小組已開始巡邏該撤離地區,並會持續至居民被允許返回家園。

在鄰近的普路瑪郡(Plumas),奇普斯大火(Chips wildfire)於7月29日在普路瑪國家森林公園(Plumas National Forest)西北部,以及貝爾頓小鎮(Belden)上坡處展開。目前大火已經吞噬了62820英畝以上的土地,並持續延燒中。普拉特維爾(Prattville)、峽谷大壩(Canyon Dam)和大草原區(Big Meadows)等地區已經強制撤離。起火的原因仍在調查中。

奇普斯大火的濃煙與公路上的大量緊急救難設備導致89號公路從巴特湖路(Butt Lake Road)至格林維爾(Greenville)以北4.3公里處之路段封閉。

8月22日晚上,消防人員計畫利用當晚較低的氣溫,以及空氣濕度增加,在奇普斯大火南側執行一個防火計劃(burnout operation)。以低強度的焚燒取代消防人員無法穩定的火勢控制線,並有助於保護緊急通訊處免受大火的侵襲。

官方表示,諾斯帕斯大火(North Pass Fire)在加州西北部門多西諾郡(Mendocino)威廉斯谷Williams Valley東北17公里處之科維羅(Covelo)表現出「極端火災行為(extreme fire behavior)」。該大火由雷擊所引發,快速燃燒大量的木材,火勢向東北方蔓延至優拉波俐.米多伊爾保護區(Yolla Bolly- Middle Eel Wilderness)。700多名消防人員從地面與空中努力控制火勢。

華盛頓州西北部遭泰勒橋大火(Taylor Bridge fire)燒盡的一棟民宅。(美國紅十字會(American Red Cross)提供)門多西諾郡警長辦公室於8月21日發出公告,強制疏散科維羅印地安迪克路(Indian Dick Road )以東的所有居民,以及印地安迪克路從門多西諾通道路(Mendocino Pass Road)路口至北向崔妮蒂郡(Trinity County)、東向德哈馬郡道路交叉口間路段的居民。該公告區域亦包括所有附近的露營區,如:霍華德湖營地(Howard Lake Campground)、小多伊湖營地(Little Doe Campground)與翰墨角湖營地(Hammerhorn Lake Campground)。

亞利桑那州(Arizona)、愛達荷州(Idaho)、內華達州(Nevada)、奧勒岡州(Oregon)、華盛頓州( Washington)與蒙大拿州(Montana)等地仍有其他大火在繼續延燒。氣象專家表示,在大風和乾燥天氣的助長下,大火在未來數天將產生更大的威脅。

消防官員表示,至10月之前,美國西部地區的大火可能仍無法完全受到控制。

California Governor Declares Wildfire Emergency
SACRAMENTO, California, August 22, 2012 (ENS)

Wildfires that have destroyed homes, forced evacuations and caused road closures prompted California Governor Jerry Brown to issue an emergency proclamation today for three northern California counties at their request.

The Ponderosa Fire near Manton in Tehama County has now burned 24,323 acres and is 50 percent contained. The fire was started by lightning on August 18 and has spread to neighboring Shasta County.

Thousands of people have been ordered to leave their homes as the blaze in thick forest threatens rural communities. About 3,500 homes in an area along the border of Tehama and Shasta counties are threatened as the fire continues to expand.

On Saturday, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office closed Highway 44 between Shingletown and Viola and evacuated area residents from at least 700 homes. Since then, security details have been patrolling the evacuated areas and will remain until the residents are allowed to return to their homes.

In neighboring Plumas County, the Chips wildfire started on July 29 in the Plumas National Forest northwest and upslope of Belden, a small community in Plumas County. It has consumed more than 62,820 acres, and continues to burn. Mandatory evacuations are in place for the communities of Prattville, Canyon Dam and the Big Meadows area. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

High winds pushed the fire into containment lines along Highway 89 yesterday, but crews got a break today as winds eased off and temperatures moderated to normal seasonal levels.

Along the southern edge of the Chips Fire a burnout operation is planned for tonight to take advantage of the lower temperatures and increased moisture in the air. The low intensity burn is taking place in an area where firefighters have had difficulty securing the control line. This will protect a critical communication site from uncontrolled fire in the area, fire officials said.

In northwestern California’s Mendocino County, the North Pass Fire in Williams Valley 10 miles northeast of Covelo is exhibiting “extreme fire behavior,” officials said. Sparked by lightning, it is actively burning in heavy timber, moving northeast into the Yolla Bolly Middle Eel Wilderness. More than 700 firefighters both on the ground and in the air are actively battling the blaze.

The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday issued a mandatory evacuation order for all residents of Indian Dick Road east of the town of Covelo and residents on Indian Dick Road from the intersection of Mendocino Pass Road north to the Trinity County Line and east to the Tehama County Line. The order includes all campsites at Howard Lake Campground, Little Doe Campground and Hammerhorn Lake Campground.

Other wildfires continue to burn in Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Montana, and weather experts say the fire threat will grow worse over the next few days due to gusty winds and dry conditions.

Fire officials report some of the fires burning across the West may not be fully contained until October.

※ 全文及圖片詳見 ENS

作者

蔡麗伶(LiLing Barricman)

In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.