Firefighters in the West are scrambling as wildfires threaten communities in Oregon, California and Washington, with at least one Oregon fire so large that it is creating its own weather.
In this image provided by the Oregon Department of Transportation, the Durkee fire burns in the background as it nears Interstate 84 near Huntington, Ore., early Tuesday, July 23, 2024. BELLINGHAM, Wash. —
Stephen Parker, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Boise, Idaho, said the Durkee fire showed such extreme fire behavior on Saturday, Sunday and Monday that it began“That can happen when a fire becomes plume-dominated,” Parker said. “It’s like a thunderstorm on top of the fire, generated by the heat of the fire.”
Several new fires ignited in that area Monday because of severe weather that included lightning and strong wind gusts, the Baker County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post. Parts of the West have also been in the grip of a heat wave, including record-breaking triple-digits temperatures, for days.
“This is shaping up to be another monster fire year in the Pacific Northwest, and it’s just mid-July,” Ed Hiatt, Pacific Northwest Assistant Fire Director for Operations at the U.S. Forest Service, said Tuesday in a news release.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Wildfires threaten communities in the West as Oregon fire closes interstate, creates its own weatherFirefighters in the West are scrambling as wildfires threaten communities in Oregon, California and Washington.
Read more »
Local firefighters carry up to 50 pounds on their backs while fighting wildfiresAaron enjoys helping improve people’s quality of life through his storytelling and promoting a healthy lifestyle. He also loves competing in Crossfit.
Read more »
Alaska firefighters tackle a wave of Interior wildfiresState wildfire crews have been fighting smaller blazes than those on federal land, as rain could reach much of the Interior later this week.
Read more »
Greece deploys foreign firefighters for the third year running to help tackle wildfiresGreek officials say 240 firefighters from Bulgaria, Malta, Moldova and Romania, will be deployed in Greece from early July until mid-September as reinforcements during the height of the summer wildfire season.
Read more »
Firefighters carry 160-pound dog down Oregon mountain after pup is injured on trailFirefighters and officials rescued a large dog that weighed 160 pounds from Saddle Mountain in Oregon. The pup had injured paws and was carried on a stretcher.
Read more »
Oregon has nearly as many fires burning as Washington, Idaho and California combinedLightning strikes and strong winds contributed to the high number of Oregon wildfires.
Read more »