More than half a million acres of the Western US has burned in the past week from a raging wildfire which has left at least one person dead. Fires have been reported in the states of Colorado, California, Oregon, Idaho, Washington and Montana.
So far this year, over 28,000 wildfires have burned more than 4.5 million acres in the US, the New York Times reported, citing the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). And as of Saturday, there were 89 large, active fires, most of which were in the Pacific Northwest and California.
Wildfire seasons typically begin in June or July and can continue until mid-fall. But fire seasons are no longer typical as heat waves and other extreme weather events strike the US and Canada. The fires are fueled by dry conditions and high temperatures, authorities explain, as much of the US continues to face a prolonged summer heat wave.
At least four wildfires were reported in the US state of Colorado affecting the state’s densely populated Front Range, which killed one person and prompted authorities to order hundreds of residents to evacuate. The fire impacted five structures including two residences which were destroyed, a public information officer for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.
"We are taking an all hands on deck approach to fight the fires burning around the state and keep communities safe," said Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D) Wednesday in a post on X. "We’ve immediately deployed critical air and ground resources to support fire containment, response, and management in partnership with federal and local agencies. We will continue to provide necessary resources to contain fires and provide support to affected Coloradans."
“Normally we’re ramping up in July to get to that peak in August, early September,” said Alex Robertson, director of fire and aviation management for the U.S. Forest Service. “[But] we’re going into August already at our full tilt.”
Robertson added that the US had to request additional help from the countries of Australia and New Zealand for 80 aviation and fire operations experts. And while it’s “common” for countries to share fire fighting capabilities, he explained, it's rare for the US to need this much help by the end of July.
According to experts, a wet winter and spring allowed vegetation to grow quickly, followed immediately by record-breaking heat across the US which has caused quintessential fire-burning conditions.
On Thursday, the National Weather Service warned of “dangerous heat” striking much of the country with temperatures in the Western US expected to approach or exceed record highs. Temperatures across the region are forecasted to reach about 100 degrees Fahrenheit every day through the end of the week.