Raging Wildfires Across the West Burn Fast-Growing Acreage

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Western Governors' Association reports:  Wildfire season is beginning to rage across the West, with the three largest blazes in Arizona and New Mexico. 

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has declared a state of emergency to free up funds to help fight the Cedar Fire, which has consumed more than 42,000 acres. The fire is currently 24{2fba0047518ad2e639da733ea78e24abf77cec06f485a26b152e17f2a77aa67a} contained and expected to grow by about 2,500 acres daily in the near future. Meanwhile, theBrown Fire outside of Tuscon has burned more than 15,000 acres and is 65{2fba0047518ad2e639da733ea78e24abf77cec06f485a26b152e17f2a77aa67a} contained. In New Mexico, some evacuees of the Dog Head Fire are beginning to return home as the almost 18,000-acre fire is now 68{2fba0047518ad2e639da733ea78e24abf77cec06f485a26b152e17f2a77aa67a} contained.

Major wildfires also are raging in AlaskaCaliforniaColorado,Utah and Wyoming. The latest report places the total burn damage across the West at nearly 2 million acres so far this season. The size and nature of this season's wildfires is a product of drought and unhealthy forests and rangelands throughout the region. Although the number of fires is only 70{2fba0047518ad2e639da733ea78e24abf77cec06f485a26b152e17f2a77aa67a} of average at this time of year over the past decade, the total acres burned is more than 11{2fba0047518ad2e639da733ea78e24abf77cec06f485a26b152e17f2a77aa67a} higher than normal.

 

 

 

Source:  Western Governors' Association

 

 

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