Dubai: Kincade Fire – the blaze that destroyed dozens of homes and wineries in California – has prompted UAE authorities to issue an alert to citizens living in the West Coast.
The UAE Consulate in Los Angeles has cautioned Emiratis to stay away from the fire zones, especially in the areas of Brentwood, Bel Air and Pacific Palisades.
On its official Twitter account, the Consulate said: “UAE citizens in Los Angeles who are located near the fire zones Brentwood, Bel Air and Pacific Palisades should take caution and follow the instructions issued by the relevant authorities.”
In the event of an emergency, citizens are advised to contact the UAE Consulate immediately on +1 3233-631-736.
The emergency alert was issued following California’s governor decision to declared a state-wide emergency on Sunday as the huge wind-fuelled blaze forced evacuations and massive power blackouts, threatening tourist towns in the state’s famed Sonoma wine region.
Kincade Fire, north of San Francisco, spread to 12,000 hectares overnight, with only 10 per cent containment by early afternoon Sunday, state fire authorities said.
The blaze, the largest of more than a dozen wildfires burning throughout the state, has destroyed dozens of homes and wineries, including the iconic Soda Rock Winery built in 1869.
About 3,000 people were battling the Kinkade Fire, the worst of more than a dozen major blazes that have damaged or destroyed nearly 400 structures, according to Reuters.
“All hands are focusing on the Kincade,” Newsom told reporters after meeting residents at an evacuation center in the Sonoma County city of Petaluma, calling that blaze “the most stubborn challenge we face.”
