San Diego County evacuees return home as California braces for record breaking wildfire seasons

San Diego County evacuees return home as California braces for record breaking wildfire seasons

Tens of thousands of San Diego evacuees returned home Saturday after firefighters braced themselves against a resurgence of flames that ripped through the region this week.

Tens of thousands of San Diego evacuees returned home Saturday after firefighters braced themselves against a resurgence of flames that ripped through the region this week. San Marcos, a suburb of 85,000 people slowly returned to some semblance of normalcy as more roadblocks were removed.

At least 10 fires covering 39 square miles have paved a destructive path through San Diego County since Tuesday. The fire destroyed 11 houses, an 18-unit apartment complex and two businesses. A badly burned body was found in a transient camp.

In the Central California city of Modesto, the fire spread to a row of town houses, destroying three of the structures and damaging six others.

Firefighters remain on alert throughout California. The state firefighting agency stepped up on its staffing in the first week of April, instead of its usual start in mid-May. Firefighters are ready with more retardant-dropping aircrafts on hand then were available last year.

At the Air National Guard base, pilots and ground personnel are practicing how to use some of the largest firefighting aircraft available, 8 military C-130 cargo planes equipped with tanks blasting out up to 3,000 of gallons of retardant in five seconds. The aerial attack will be strengthened by the inclusion of 5 new, large air tankers, along with the military units. The Forest Service also has signed a 5 year deal to rent a water-scooping plane that can refill just by skimming along a lake’s surface. Also, 9 small planes called single-engine air tankers are being deployed in the region.

According to the NIFC’s National Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook, California, southern New Mexico and Arizona, and southern Alaska are listed at “above normal” risk for May.

California is experiencing drought, and firefighters there have already responded to 1,100 fires, twice the usual number for this time of year. Climate change is being blamed for lengthening the nation’s wildfire season, with scientists predicting larger and more frequent fires.

 

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