The Corral Fire exploded in Northern California last weekend, burning more than 40,000 acres, burning major roadways and prompting evacuations. fell on nearby houses.
Local resident Daniel Perez stayed behind to help first responders.
“The firefighters dipped the hose in my pool,” he told CBS News. Perez said it appeared they stopped the fire at one point before flames suddenly came from another direction.
The fire, fanned by heavy winds, burned down his neighbor’s home, although the elderly couple living there were able to evacuate safely. Perez’s house was spared, but his garage and the memories within were not; memories like the one wrapped in his grandmother’s quilt that he used in his daughter’s crib.
“It’s irreplaceable,” he said, adding that the loss was “devastating.”
While wildfires are not new to California, what concerns firefighters is that the Corral Fire, which was about 75% contained as of Monday evening, occurred so early in the so-called fire season.
“For the most part, we don’t call it fire season anymore. It’s almost like there are no rules anymore,” said Cecile Juliette, public information officer for CalFire.
As the climate warms, spring will come earlier, with higher temperatures, scientists say. This causes the snow cover to melt faster, causing vegetation to dry out, which in turn becomes fuel for fires.
“To have a fire that was over 14,000 acres in early June is a little eye-opening,” Juliette said.
Ben Tracy
