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| California declares drought as early wildfires rage | California declares drought as early wildfires rage |
| (1 day later) | |
| The governor of California has declared a state-wide drought, urging residents to conserve water in what could be the state's driest year on record. | The governor of California has declared a state-wide drought, urging residents to conserve water in what could be the state's driest year on record. |
| The declaration by Governor Jerry Brown also means farmers will receive aid and more firefighters will be employed. | The declaration by Governor Jerry Brown also means farmers will receive aid and more firefighters will be employed. |
| Mr Brown faced pressure to declare the drought as the state's largest reservoirs are at record low levels. | Mr Brown faced pressure to declare the drought as the state's largest reservoirs are at record low levels. |
| The dry conditions have been blamed for a wildfire that destroyed five homes north-east of Los Angeles on Thursday. | The dry conditions have been blamed for a wildfire that destroyed five homes north-east of Los Angeles on Thursday. |
| In a press conference on Friday, Mr Brown called on residents to cut back "at least 20%" on their water usage but said the move was voluntary. | In a press conference on Friday, Mr Brown called on residents to cut back "at least 20%" on their water usage but said the move was voluntary. |
| "We can't make it rain, but we can be much better prepared for the terrible consequences that California's drought now threatens," Mr Brown said in a statement. | "We can't make it rain, but we can be much better prepared for the terrible consequences that California's drought now threatens," Mr Brown said in a statement. |
| He added the declaration was a way to focus Californians on how serious the drought conditions were. | He added the declaration was a way to focus Californians on how serious the drought conditions were. |
| "We are in a unprecedented, very serious situation that people should pause and reflect on how dependent we are on the rain, nature and each other," he said on CNN. | |
| Previous extremely dry years led to catastrophic wildfire seasons in California in 2003 and 2007. | Previous extremely dry years led to catastrophic wildfire seasons in California in 2003 and 2007. |
| "People say that the fire season is starting early, but I guess you could say it never ended," Tom Scott, a natural resources specialist with the University of California told the Associated Press news agency. | "People say that the fire season is starting early, but I guess you could say it never ended," Tom Scott, a natural resources specialist with the University of California told the Associated Press news agency. |
| "If you live in the backcountry, come July you probably should be thinking about putting your valuables in storage." | "If you live in the backcountry, come July you probably should be thinking about putting your valuables in storage." |
| Farmers in the US largest farm state were already being hit hard. | Farmers in the US largest farm state were already being hit hard. |
| "I am a fifth-generation cattle rancher, and it has never been this bad ever in my lifetime," said Kevin Kester, 58. | "I am a fifth-generation cattle rancher, and it has never been this bad ever in my lifetime," said Kevin Kester, 58. |
| His family's records show the area's previous worst drought was in the 1890s. | His family's records show the area's previous worst drought was in the 1890s. |