91 wildfires are now burning across the US, with Oregon’s Bootleg Fire growing to over 400,000 acres
More than 1.8 million acres have burned since these fires began, the NIFC said. More than 22,300 wildland firefighters and incident management teams are involved in battling the blazes.
This year, 37,803 fires have burned more than 3 million acres across the United States, per NIFC. During the same period in 2020, 32,059 fires burned a total of 2.1 million acres.
“As hot temperatures and very dry vegetation persists, it is important to stay informed on current and predicted environmental conditions,” NIFC said in its Sunday update. “Check for fire restrictions and closures before you head out to enjoy your public lands. Now more than ever, we need your help to prevent wildfires.”
Idaho is the state with the biggest number of large fires, at 23. However, Oregon has the most acres burned: 554,587 among its 11 fires. The Bootleg Fire near the California border is alone responsible for burning 413,734 acres.
A firefighter from New Mexico walks up a dirt road after working to help contain the Bootleg Fire near Silver Lake, Oregon, on July 29, 2021.
A total of 67 structures have been destroyed due to the Dixie Fire, and an evacuation order remains in place for the Butte Meadows, Jonesville and Lake Philbrook areas. There have been no fatalities reported at this time.
Rains hopefully bring relief to scorched western US
Monsoon season has arrived in the west, bringing with it mudslides, flash flooding and dust storms.
The monsoon moisture moving into the region could potentially stomp out some fires and quench the dry vegetation and soil, but it could also cause more dangerous conditions.
Red flag warnings are in place across central and eastern Oregon for the weekend, where the potential for thunderstorms has drawn out worries for more fire starts.
With the Bootleg Fire already blistering over 400,000 acres of the Oregon hills, lightning and strong winds from monsoon thunderstorms could start more fires, further straining resources.
The rainfall might help control some fires in the region. But left behind will be the scorched earth that is prone to runoff and flash flooding.
Death toll in Turkey wildfires increases to 8
“We helped the evacuation of 1,140 people by 12 boats,” Orhan Dinc, president of the Bodrum Maritime Chamber, told CNN on Sunday. “We did evacuation by boats yesterday as well, but I have never witnessed something similar before in this region. This is the first time.”
Dinc said that while roads remain open and evacuations continue by land, evacuations by sea help keep roads open for fire trucks and ambulances.
The death toll in Turkey’s forest fires along the Mediterranean coast has increased to at least eight people killed on Sunday, according to state-run Anadolu Agency.
The latest victims include a Turkish-German couple who were found in a house.
According to the Turkish Agriculture and Forestry Ministry, 111 fires have started across the country since July 28. Six fires are still burning in three different cities, the ministry said.
CNN’s Aya Elamroussi, Chuck Johnston, Karen Smith, Isil Sariyuce, Sharif Paget, Larry Register, Gul Tuysuz, Hannah Gard and Haley Brink contributed to this report.
