US wildfire forces large evacuation

0 CommentsPrint E-mail China Daily via agencies, June 8, 2011
Adjust font size:

Stiff winds whipped up a gigantic blaze in the mountains of eastern Arizona, United States, forcing the evacuation of a third resort town and casting a smoky haze over states as far away as Iowa.

Winds of about 50 kph, with gusts above 100 kph, blew heavy smoke from the fire in the picturesque town of Greer, where most of the 200 full-time residents had already fled. Everyone still there and in nearby area known as Sunrise were ordered to leave on Monday afternoon.

"It's heartbreaking," Allan Johnson, owner of the 101-year-old Molly Butler Lodge in Greer, the oldest in the state, said of the fire barreling down on the resort town. He was pessimistic about the chances of saving the lodge and the hundreds of vacation homes in the area.

"We're numb - our entire family and our friends are just numb," he said.

Late on Monday, a huge pall of black smoke loomed over the twin towns of Eager and Springerville, home to about 7,000 people, and sheriff's officials told residents there to prepare to leave.

The winds and expected lightning are making matters worse in an area dotted with cabins and campgrounds that have long provided a cool summer getaway from the oppressive heat of the nearby desert.

The fire was estimated at about 932 square kilometers, officials said on Monday night. Officials believe an abandoned campfire may have sparked the blaze more than a week ago.

Several hundred people turned out for a community meeting on Monday night at which fire officials urged residents to be ready to evacuate if the fire continues to grow. They vowed to give residents of Eager and Springerville as much notice as possible of an evacuation.

So far, the flames have destroyed five buildings and scorched nearly 93,000 hectares of ponderosa pine forest. No serious injuries have been reported. The blaze nearly doubled in size between Saturday and Monday.

About 2,700 to 3,000 people are believed to have fled Alpine and Nutrioso late last week and headed to larger towns for shelter, Governor Jan Brewer said.

Roughly 2,500 firefighters, including many from several western states and as far away as New York, are working to contain the wildfires, Fire Information Officer Peter Frenzen said.

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed an emergency declaration on Monday that will allow the use of $200,000 in emergency funds and authorizes the mobilization of the National Guard if it becomes necessary.

A ridge of high pressure was carrying the haze to central Iowa, said Kyle Fredin, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Denver. The smoke was visible in New Mexico, Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas.

Fredin said the smoke wouldn't be noticeable in the Midwest, where humidity already makes conditions hazy. He said it could, however, produce striking orange-pink sunrises and sunsets.

Print E-mail Bookmark and Share

Go to Forum >>0 Comments

No comments.

Add your comments...

  • User Name Required
  • Your Comment
  • Racist, abusive and off-topic comments may be removed by the moderator.
Send your storiesGet more from China.org.cnMobileRSSNewsletter
主站蜘蛛池模板: 人妖在线精品一区二区三区| 国产免费拔擦拔擦8x| 人善交另类欧美重口另类| 色妞AV永久一区二区国产AV| 在线观看国产小视频| 久久夜色精品国产噜噜亚洲AV| 狠狠综合久久av一区二区| 国产女人18毛片水真多18精品 | 91九色蝌蚪porny| 日本理论片午午伦夜理片2021| 人妻无码一区二区三区免费| 国产对白精品刺激一区二区| 国产精品无码专区在线播放| 三级国产三级在线| 欧美交换性一区二区三区| 办公室震动揉弄求求你| 欧美jizz40性欧美| 国产精品成人四虎免费视频| 91色在线视频| 成人欧美一区二区三区的电影 | 国产精品白丝在线观看有码| 女人扒开双腿让男人捅| 中文字幕一区日韩精品| 最近最好的中文字幕2019免费 | 久久久一本精品99久久精品66| 最新中文字幕在线资源| 伊人久久大香线蕉亚洲| 精品一久久香蕉国产线看观看下| 国产成人无码综合亚洲日韩| a国产乱理伦片在线观看夜| 日本丰满毛茸茸**| 亚洲在成人网在线看| 欧美猛男做受视频| 又大又粗又爽的三级小视频| h国产在线观看| 天堂网www在线资源网| 久久99视频精品| 日本dhxxxxxdh14日本| 国产福利一区二区| 一级做a爰性色毛片| 最刺激黄a大片免费观看下截|