SACRAMENTO (US) – Driven by high winds and a heat wave, wildfires are surging across the US West. On Tuesday, a wildfire gutted the Washington town of Malden and has threatened residents of Oregon and California.
A firestorm destroyed 80% houses in Malden including the fire station, post office, city hall and library. Firefighters and emergency workers searched for residents among the destroyed homes.
“The scale of this disaster really can’t be expressed in words,” said Brett Myers, sheriff of Whitman County, where Malden, which has a population of 300, is located. “I pray everyone got out in time.”
Myers said the wildfire hit Malden at noon and it was driven by winds 40 miles per hour (34 knots).
Before the blaze hit, authorities warned residents to evacuate. In three hours, the fire engulfed the town.
“It moved incredibly fast,” Myers said.
The Malden blaze is one among dozens of conflagrations raging through Washington, Oregon and California over the Labor Day holiday weekend.
“I have no patience for climate change deniers,” California Governor Gavin Newsom said, pointing to the high temperatures. “It simply is completely inconsistent … with the reality on the ground.”