Scorching temperatures on the Fourth of July led to wildfires in California that burned through the night. The French Fire near Yosemite National Park in Mariposa County has burned through 791 acres and is 0% contained, leading to mandatory evacuations in the town of Mariposa and power outages for nearly 3,500 energy customers. In Northern California, the Thompson Fire in Butte County has burned almost 1,800 acres and forced at least 28,000 people to evacuate. The fire was started by a 61-year-old man who was arrested for setting a backfire with a propane torch.
With much of the country experiencing a heatwave, many Fourth of July celebrations in California were canceled as temperatures soared past 100 degrees, reaching up to 110 degrees in some areas. The extreme heat has made conditions dangerously hot, with meteorologists warning of record-breaking daily temperatures over the holiday weekend.
In Mariposa, residents filmed large flames illuminating the sky and dropping fire retardant over forested areas in an effort to contain the fires. Evacuation orders and warnings were in place for areas near the wildfires, with some residents forced to shelter in place or scramble to safety. The lack of available shelter places presented challenges for those trying to evacuate with pets or elderly family members, as seen in the case of Lynette Bailey and her 90-year-old father. Despite the challenges, firefighters continue to battle the blazes and work towards containment in the face of the extreme heat and dry conditions.
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