Not many pictures break the heart like the heartrending pictures of the gale of destruction which the recent California wildfires visited upon the Town of Paradise and other affected parts of California.
What does this unfortunate catastrophic the California wildfires teach us, and what grueling records has the incident left with us?
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California wildfires incident is the biggest fire accident in the history of California
No generation has ever witnessed a fire incident as destructive as this in California. None. Not in living memory or the ages before this. The fire blazed with such fury; it consumed practically everything in its way.
Two major fires in the ongoing California wildfires are Camp Fire in Butte County and Woolsey Fire in Los Angeles and Ventura County.
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The California wildfires consumed over 242,000 acres of land
That’s the equivalent of the size of about 160,000 football pitches or the size of the City of Chicago.
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This current California wildfires is not the first this year in California
According to various reports, before these recent California wildfires which have now proven to be the biggest and most destructive in California’s history, there have been over 10 “smaller” wildfires around California in 2018 alone.
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So far, over 63 persons have been confirmed to have died in the recent California wildfires
So far, over 63 lives have been confirmed to have been lost in the wildfire.
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Biggest rescue operation in California State
The rescue operation that was launched by authorities after the California wildfires is the biggest in California’s history.
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This tragedy has been called the largest body-rescue operation in the history of California state – and one of the largest since the dastardly 9/11 terrorist attacks on American soil.
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Over 10,000 structures were destroyed in the California wildfires
The structures destroyed include homes, schools, recreational centres, places of worship, commercial properties, farms, cities. Can you for a moment try to imagine the scale of such a destruction and worth?
Trails of destruction in the wake of the California wildfires (Image credit: David McNew/Getty Images)
Trails of destruction in the wake of the California wildfires (Image credit: David McNew/Getty Images)
A rage of destruction (Image credit: standard.co.uk)
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Fate of the Town of Paradise which was completely razed by the California wildfires
According to Director of the US Federal Emergency Agency (US FEMA), the Town of Paradise was so badly battered and destroyed by the California wildfires that it needs to be completely rebuilt!
A fury of destruction (Image credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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Over 630 people are still missing in the California wildfires
As the search for charred remains of victims continue, many affected families have been consumed by grief for their loved ones for who hope seems to fade by the day. Days after the wildfires burst through the green fields of the affected towns, the whereabouts of many are still unknown.
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Over 9,400 firefighters have been deployed across to battle the ongoing California wildfires
Firefighters continue to do their best to contain the destructive California wildfires (Image credit: ABC News)
This brave firefighter and many other defied the odds to fight California wildfires (Image credit: (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
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Ongoing rescue operations include volunteers from all of California’s 58 counties
in such a time as this moment of state-wide grief, it’s gladdening to know that help has come from the nooks and crannies of the state – no one has held behind. Rather, help has freely come to aid rescue operations in the affected areas. In moments of grief such as this, having your friends and fellow country men and women come to your rescue and stand by you can be an incredible source of strength. Natural disasters such as the California wildfires don’t differentiate between Democrats and Republicans, rich or poor, Blacks, Whites or Latinos.
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Following the California wildfires, air pollution has worsened in the State
With the release of gaseous emissions, some of them toxic, air quality in and around the affected areas have reportedly worsened.
One report by a nearby monitoring station in Palermo, California says levels of air pollutants around Camp Fire have risen to over thirteen times their level at another but far away monitoring station in Nevada, California.
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The blaze is not completely over yet
According to some officials, while the worst seems over, the California wildfires is not expected to be completely contained until the end of the month.
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Following the California wildfires, President Trump has approved a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of California.
This declaration ensures that federal fire funds become accessible to affected people in the area for a wide range of support and rescue operations.
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The immediate cause(s) that triggered the massive wildfires has yet to be conclusively ascertained but investigations have kicked off.
There have been rumours of lawsuits against certain companies and big corporations, whose activities some have suggested, led or contributed to the California wildfires. While what become of such threats of lawsuits remain to be seen, a detailed investigation of what led to the accidents is highly recommended to get to the root of the matter, improve warning alert systems and help forestall a reoccurrence or such scale of widespread destruction. The governor, Jerry Brown, has ordered an investigation.
Our hearts and prayers are with the people of California in these difficult times.
(Project Lead, Wastesmart Initiative)
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