And the weather isn't helpingįires across the country have led to air quality issues, evacuations and property damage as a drought continues to hold much of the west in its grip. The largest fire in the US continues to defy crews' efforts to tame it. and is expected to grow as dryness and heat thwart fire crews. The Bootleg blaze in southern Oregon has swelled to become the biggest among scores of current wildfires engulfing the western U.S. Officials have not yet determined the cause of the fire, which sparked July 13.Ī firefighter crew from New Mexico mop up small fires in the mountains west of Paisley, Oregon, U.S., on Friday, July 23, 2021. The merged fire has burned 208,206 acres and is 23% contained, according to Inciweb. The combination created the 15th largest fire in state history and prompted evacuation orders for more than 7,800 residents across two counties, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services spokesperson Bryan May told CNN early Tuesday. Over the weekend, two fires – the Dixie and Fly fires in northern California – merged in the Lassen and Plumas national forests. There are 79 active large wildfires burning across 12 states, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). “We’re continuing with community and agency partners to suppress the fire as effectively as possible to protect timber, ranchlands and other local values.”Ī busy fire season in the US has charred more than 2.82 million acres this year, mostly in Western states, with active wildfires accounting for 1.5 million acres burned. “We will continue operations with a focus on the safety of the community and our firefighters,” said incident Commander Norm McDonald.

But aggressive fire behavior is expected to return later in the week as temperatures rebound and rise, according to Inciweb. The Bootleg Fire has destroyed 161 residences and 247 outbuildings.Ĭooling temperatures and the likelihood of isolated showers through Wednesday are expected to help the fight. The blaze has grown to 410,731 acres and remains at 53% contained, according to an Inciweb update. Oregon’s fierce Bootleg Fire has destroyed more than 400 structures and 340 vehicles since it began three weeks ago, officials said Tuesday.

Biggest california fire