Scores of wildfires scorching swathes of the US and Canada
LOS ANGELES: Scores of wildfires across the United States and Canada have scorched swathes of land in California, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Alberta and beyond, forcing evacuations and road closures, as well as destroying and threatening structures. Air quality advisories and alerts have been issued in some affected areas.
As of Friday (Jul 26), there were 96 large active fires in the US that have engulfed 5,890 sq km, most of them in Oregon, followed by California and Arizona, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
More than 4,000 sq km have burned overall so far this summer in the US Pacific Northwest. In Canada, more than 3,700 fires have charred more than 22,800 sg km so far this year, according to the government’s latest National Wildland Fire Situation Report, issued Wednesday.
Fuels and fire behaviour advisories are in place for southwest Oregon, the region east of the Cascades in Oregon and Washington, Nevada, southern Idaho, Utah and California.
Durkee
The Durkee Fire in Baker County, Oregon, is the largest active blaze in the US, which merged with the Cow Fire to burn nearly 1,630 sq km. The blaze started nine days ago and remains unpredictable. It was only 20 per cent contained on Friday.
Evacuations were lifted for the small eastern Oregon city of Huntington after thunderstorms on Wednesday brought rain and cooler temperatures.
Park
The Park Fire in Butte County, California, near the city of Chico has seared 666 sq km and was considered completely uncontained Friday.
Evacuations were ordered in Butte and Tehama counties. About 4,000 residents in unincorporated areas of Butte County and 400 residents of Chico were ordered to evacuate, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said late Thursday. Two minor injuries were reported, more than 130 structures were destroyed and about 4,200 were threatened.
A California man arrested Thursday was accused of sparking the state’s largest wildfire of the year by pushing a burning car into a gully.
Jasper
A wildfire in the Canadian Rockies has scorched 360 sq km.
Officials said Thursday that the blaze prompted 25,000 people to flee as it roared into the near-deserted town of Jasper overnight, devastating up to half of its structures.
Cooler temperatures and rain brought minimal fire spread and behaviour Friday. The weather could keep the fires at bay for the next 72 hours, according to Jasper National Park. But officials warned that warmer weather forecasted will bring increased wildfire activity.
Falls
The human-caused Falls Fire in Harney County, Oregon, has destroyed 567 sq km and was 55 per cent contained.
Evacuation orders remained in place in Grant and Harney counties because of the Falls Fire and the nearby Telephone Fire.
The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
Lone Rock
The Lone Rock Fire in Gilliam County, Oregon, has burned 213 sq km and was 45 per cent contained.
Minimal to moderate fire behavior on Thursday allowed crews to make progress and increase containment, greatly reducing the threat to structures, according to a fire update on InciWeb.
The fire's cause remains under investigation.
