洛杉矶附近又起新的野火

New Wildfire Starts Near Los Angeles

A dangerous wildfire has started in the Bel Air area of Los Angeles, California, as firefighters battle three other fires across Southern California.

The latest wildfire reached the side of the busy Interstate 405 through the Santa Monica Mountains. It stopped car traffic.

Hundreds of firefighters fought the fire on the ground and planes dropped water and retardant from above.

Firefighters told Bel Air local Maurice Kaboud to leave his home Wednesday. But, he chose to stay and protect his house. The 59-year-old stood in the backyard of his multi-million-dollar home as fires raged² nearby.

“God willing, this will slow down so the firefighters can do their job,” Kaboud said.

Southern California’s Santa Ana winds have long contributed to some of the area’s most disastrous³ wildfires. The winds blow from inland toward⁴ the Pacific Ocean. They gain speed through mountain passes and valleys.

The biggest and most destructive⁵ of Southern California’s wildfires is in Ventura County⁶, northwest of Los Angeles. It now covers over 262 square kilometers and stretches across a major highway. The fire had already destroyed at least 150 structures. But many more homes may have already been lost.

Lisa Kermode and her children returned to their home Tuesday to find it destroyed. Kermode said, “We lost everything, everything, all our clothes, anything that was important to us. All our family heirlooms — it’s not sort of gone, it’s completely gone.”

Another 12,000 structures were under threat.

Los Angeles Mayor⁷ Eric Garcetti said the strong winds had created a dangerous situation. The city urged 150,000 people living near the fire to leave their homes before it was too late.

Two months ago, a wildfire in northern California killed 44 people.

“We have lost structures, we have not lost lives,” Garcetti said. “Do not wait. Leave your homes.”

The latest fire has stopped production of several television shows because of safety concerns. The Los Angeles Rams⁸ football team also canceled its practice.

Wildfires are not normal in Southern California this time of year. But they can start suddenly when there is too little rain, combined with the Santa Ana winds.

Almost no measurable rain has fallen in the area over the past six months.

Words in This Story

retardant - adj. able to slow down the progress of something

rage¹ - v. to happen or continue in a destructive way

contribute - v. to help to cause something to happen

heirloom - n. a valuable object that is owned by a family for many years and passed from one generation to another

1 rage   

vi.(烈火)熊熊燃烧；发怒；怒斥；季风

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• Haines got into a rage.海恩斯勃然大怒。

2 raged   

大发脾气，动怒（rage的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• She raged when her jewels were stolen while under police protection. 在有警察保护的情况下她的珠宝被偷，她十分生气。
• "The hell with, " Pilar raged."It is speed that counts.” “见鬼去吧！”皮拉怒气冲冲地嚷道，“速度才是重要的。”

3 disastrous   

adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的

参考例句：

• The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
• Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。

4 toward   

prep.对于，关于，接近，将近，向，朝

参考例句：

• Suddenly I saw a tall figure approaching toward the policeman.突然间我看到一个高大的身影朝警察靠近。
• Upon seeing her,I smiled and ran toward her. 看到她我笑了，并跑了过去。

5 destructive   

adj.破坏（性）的，毁灭（性）的

参考例句：

• In the end,it will be destructive of our whole society.它最终会毁灭我们整个社会。
• It is the most destructive storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的一次风暴。

6 county   

n.县，郡

参考例句：

• When the good news reached there,the whole county rejoiced.喜讯传到那里时，全县的人都欢欣鼓舞起来。
• In that year county after county fell to the enemy.那一年一个又一个的县城沦入敌人手中。

7 mayor   

n.市长

参考例句：

• The new mayor said he would clean the city up.新市长说，他要整顿本市。
• The mayor hurried into his office,brushing off the reporters.市长赶快走进办公室，拒不接见记者。

8 rams   

n.公羊( ram的名词复数 )；(R-)白羊（星）座；夯；攻城槌v.夯实（土等）( ram的第三人称单数 )；猛撞；猛压；反复灌输

参考例句：

• A couple of rams are butting at each other. 两只羊正在用角互相抵触。 来自辞典例句
• More than anything the rams helped to break what should have been on interminable marriage. 那些牡羊比任何东西都更严重地加速了他们那本该天长地久的婚姻的破裂。 来自辞典例句