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At least 70 large wildfires are burning across the western United States and neighboring states – engulfing more than a million acres in flames – as fears grow that changing conditions could exacerbate an already dire situation. Significant areas of these states struggle with drought conditions considered to be “extreme” and “exceptional” – the most severe categories.
Officials in Oregon have said these arid, windy and unstable conditions will continue to fuel the 281,208-acre Bootleg Fire, which is only 22 percent contained, according to the National Interagency Fire Center and InciWeb. The smoke and heat have created giant “clouds of fire”, which are dangerous columns of ash and smoke that can reach 10 km skyward.
At least 2,106 firefighters are battling Bootleg, which is now the largest wildfire in the United States. Authorities are also concerned that this hell will merge with the nearby log fire, which totals at least 4,830 acres.
Meteorologists also detected a larger and more extreme type of fiery clouds earlier this week – ones that can create their own weather, such as “fire tornadoes.” This extreme fire behavior is expected to worsen over the weekend.
“The fire remains very active with a significant increase in area due to the hot, dry and windy conditions, and the behavior of the fire dominated by the plume. Poor moisture recovery at night contributes to the spread of active fire during the night period, ”InciWeb said of Bootleg. “Robust rates of spread are generated by fuels affected by drought. Similar conditions are expected for the next few days.
“This fire is large and is moving so fast that it is progressing four to five miles each day,” said Bootleg Incident Commander Joe Hassel. “One of the many challenges our firefighters face every day is working in a new country which can present new dangers at any time. “
The National Weather Service (NWS) has forecast “excessive heat” in the northern plains and the western states between the mountains, with temperatures “well above average” over the next few days. The NWS said triple-digit highs can be expected in eastern Montana and lower elevations in the intermountain west.
“This heat wave will exacerbate the severe to exceptional drought currently seen in the region, which together can create an environment conducive to the uncontrollable spread of wildfires,” the NWS said.
The service also warned that “dry lightning could be a concern” for parts of northern and central California on Sunday. As the monsoon humidity comes in from the south, very little rain will be produced.
Residents of Paradise Township in northern California, which was mostly razed to the ground in a 2018 wildfire that killed 85, are on high alert due to a blaze that is located approximately 15 miles northeast of the city.
The extremely hot and dry conditions that fuel these fires are linked to man-made climate change. The western United States has become much drier and warmer over the past three decades and is expected to become more extreme, which in turn is poised to create more frequent and destructive wildfires.
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, 34,596 wildfires were recorded from January 1 to July 16, affecting 2,364,643 acres. During the same period of 2020, there were 28,423 forest fires affecting 1,778,583 acres.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
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