Inside Climate News: Supercharged by Climate Change, Western Megafires Explode Simultaneously

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https://insideclimatenews.org/news/30072024/todays-climate-west-megafires-heat/

Supercharged by Climate Change, Western Megafires Explode Simultaneously
Heat waves and “flash droughts” fuel intense fires in California, Oregon and Canada.

By Kiley Price
July 30, 2024

In western North America, wildfire season is in full swing—and well on its way toward setting records. Over the past two weeks, infernos have been tearing through parts of California, Oregon and Canada, leaving scorched trails in their wake.

Though these regions are no strangers to fire, experts say the pace at which some of the blazes have intensified is shocking. As thousands flee under evacuation orders, firefighters are flooding in to help, but they’re struggling to contain the fires amidst a unique climate-fueled cocktail of conditions.

Big Fires Everywhere: Across the western U.S. and Canada, a series of heat waves, droughts and strong winds boosting the growth of fires this season. The Park Fire in Northern California, ignited last week by an arsonist, is one example.

Extreme heat during June and July dried out vegetation in the area, providing fuel for the fire to rapidly expand. As of Friday, the blaze had burned roughly 178,000 acres. Just a few days later, the fire has engulfed more than 380,000 acres, covering an area nearly double the size of New York City. The Park Fire is already the fifth-largest wildfire in California’s history and could keep raging for weeks or even months, experts say.

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