Santa Barbara County in California was ravaged by a wildfire in the hills of Goleta on Friday and Saturday. It has been termed the Holiday fire and is attributed to erratic winds coupled with high temperatures. These conditions could be the result of global warming that aggravates the already volatile situation.
Los Angeles Times reports that the Holiday fire was another loss for Santa Barbara County. It has faced several such calamities in recent months. Many homes have been destroyed but there has been no loss of human life. A number of blazes broke out in this part of the state and this is considered to be one of the most destructive.
Wildfires in California
Any wildfire falls in the category of a natural disaster, especially if it is a brush fire. These usually originate from dry trees and undergrowth that can ignite due to strong winds and high temperatures. Such fires can spread very fast and endanger animals, property, and people. Often, the people have to be evacuated to safety. The environment also suffers because there is a loss of the green cover along with the flora and fauna. Many of the animals lose their natural habitats and stray into human territory leading to man-animal conflict. Such incidents are on the rise and the blame lies on the reckless exploitation of the greenery where trees are felled in the name of development.
California has been experiencing these quite regularly. In December, it was the Thomas fire that destroyed more than 1000 structures in the coastal regions. The next month there were mudslides in the same area in which lives were lost, and more than 100 homes destroyed. The worst part of wildfires is that they do not follow any set pattern and some structures remain untouched, while others are reduced to cinders by the blaze.
The scene is not a pleasant one because the loss of a home hurts the owner. No one wants to see his dwelling site to go up in flames
State of emergency declared in Santa Barbara County
The wildfire that destroyed about 20 homes in Goleta and threatened many more had resulted in the evacuation of thousands of people. A disaster of this nature throws life into disarray and takes a heavy toll on the people.
According to ABC7, California Gov. Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency in Santa Barbara County. This proclamation will help to ensure availability of resources necessary to tackle the disaster. Firefighters are already on the scene battling the fire amidst gusty winds and high temperatures. This is a deadly combination and the possible source of a disaster.
