California Wildfire? Or A Drive Through Hell? Driver Records Video From Inside Flames
Labeled as two of the most-destructive wildfires in California history, the Valley and Butte fires have burned over 138,000 acres, combined. A driver recently recorded video as he escaped the flames.
As can be seen from the video, the Valley fire was no situation to take lightly. If you’ve never been inside the flames of, or known what it’s like to escape a California wildfire, this driver gives you a firsthand visualization of his evacuation on September 12, 2015, around 8:40 p.m.
As he drives down the winding roads of Anderson Springs, destruction shows its fierce head. Many say it looks like a drive through hell.
So far, the driver’s wildfire video has drawn over 1.1 million views via YouTube.
Post-apocalyptic level of destruction caused by California fires: http://t.co/N0EYhkcUc1 pic.twitter.com/sgQxzXmX48
— Good Morning America (@GMA) September 15, 2015
Media authorities authenticate the driver’s video with recent reports. According to Los Angeles Times, unprecedented numbers have risen during these fires’ livelihoods. The news medium reports that, by 6:25 a.m. on Tuesday, the Valley fire statistics were as follows.
- 67,000 acres burned
- 15 percent contained
- 13,000 people displaced
- 9,000 structures threatened
- 585 homes destroyed
- 2,362 fire workers
- 4 firefighters injured
- 1 death confirmed
Likewise, a brother fire, Butte — which started on September 9, as reports California Fire — had similar numbers. From the same source, they are as follows.
- 71,660 acres burned
- 37 percent contained
- 10,000 people displaced
- 6,400 structures threatened
- 166 homes, 116 outbuildings destroyed
- 4,668 fire workers
- 6,000 homes evacuated
Just In – The #ValleyFire in Lake,Napa&Sonoma counties is now 67,000 acres & 15% contained.
— CAL FIRE PIO Berlant (@CALFIRE_PIO) September 15, 2015
Unfortunately, NBC News reports that a 72-year-old woman was burned in the wildfire. Due to disability, she wasn’t able to escape her home.
The same source says that these are only two of many fires blazing along the west coast.
“Across California, at least four firefighters have been injured and at least eight have lost their homes. In all, two dozen fires are raging across Washington state, Oregon and California.”
According to San Francisco Gate, the northern California wildfires started off as something minor.
“The blaze started small at 1:24 p.m. near High Valley Road and Bottle Rock Road in Cobb but grew at an alarming rate. In just a few hours the fire ballooned to a 40,000-acre inferno and devoured scores of homes as it raged through Cobb on its way to Middletown.
“People in town recalled seeing the fire on the western ridge a seemingly safe half-mile away. That’s when red-hot embers and large chunks of burning debris began raining down around the area. Minutes later the fire surged, consuming homes and businesses as helpless residents fled along Highway 29.”
Thousands flee California wildfires as hundreds of homes go up in flames: http://t.co/MLIwFbpdYG pic.twitter.com/miNufPfwn9 — CNN (@CNN) September 14, 2015
What do you think about the Valley and Butte wildfires and their displaced victims? According to the National Interagency Fire Center, California is receiving help in battling the flames from 68 fireline management personnel from Australia and New Zealand.
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
[Video Credits: YouTube/NBC News ; Photo Credits: David McNew/Getty Images News]
