1,700 Filipinos in Lake County, California urged to evacuate amid massive wildfire

Authorities urged around 1,700 Filipinos in Lake County, Northern California to evacuate their homes amid a massive wildfire, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Wednesday.

In a statement issued by the DFA, Philippine Consulate General Henry Bensurto in San Francisco said around 1,700 Filipinos are residing along the path of the dangerous wildfire.

Bensurto assured that no Filipino has been reported hurt so far due to the wildfire.

“The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco is advising members of the Filipino Community in Lake County to heed evacuation orders after California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in the affected area,” the DFA said.

The wildfire, dubbed by local authorities as the “Pawnee Fire”, broke out on Saturday evening near the Clearlake Oaks community/

It has scorched 11, 500 acres of land, destroyed several properties, and forced the evacuation of 3,000 people. — Syrah Vivien Inocencio/INQUIRER.net intern