California Battles Largest Wildfire of the Year Amid Fears of Dangerous Summer
California is facing its largest wildfire of the year, with over 300 firefighters deployed to combat the “Lake Fire” that erupted Wednesday in San Luis Obispo County, a rural region in central California.
Authorities issued evacuation orders for around 200 residents as the flames threatened dozens of structures. Within just 24 hours, the fire scorched nearly 213 square kilometers, according to the state’s fire agency.
Images from the state’s alert system showed thick black smoke rising over the region’s sprawling hills.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s office stated on X that the state is committed to protecting communities wherever fires break out and confirmed reinforcements had been sent to San Luis Obispo to assist in firefighting efforts.
The fire follows a series of recent blazes across California, triggering evacuations and raising concerns of a challenging summer season.
Southern California experienced unusual dryness during the winter and spring, leaving vegetation as parched as it would be in peak summer, according to Daniel Swain, a climate specialist at UCLA.
This increasing threat comes as President Donald Trump implements major budget cuts to federal agencies tasked with addressing climate disasters, including the U.S. Forest Service, NOAA, and FEMA.
On Wednesday, Governor Newsom, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, criticized Trump for underfunding forest thinning and controlled burns, emphasizing that 57% of California’s land falls under federal jurisdiction.
