ZIP Advertisement
The size of a monstrous wildfire in Oregon is now a third the size of Rhode Island Share Updated: 6:53 PM EDT Jul 19, 2021 By GILLIAN FLACCUS, Associated Press
The size of a monstrous wildfire in Oregon is now a third the size of Rhode Island Share Updated: 6:53 PM EDT Jul 19, 2021
Hide Transcript
Show Transcript Yeah, okay. A lot of smoke and there s a lot of emergency vehicles that are traversing that uh, that road in order to get to areas and we felt just an abundance of caution. It would be better to close the road and and protect the citizens in that area. They plan for it there. It s inundated with resources and they re really hitting it hard. They want to keep everything on this side of the railroad tracks that are, that are down there just rest assured for the citizens of a story. Yeah. The resources out the incident commanders have done a great job of preparing for this, this juncture in the fire.
The 476-square-mile (1,210-square-kilometer) Bootleg Fire is burning 300 miles (483 kilometers) southeast of Portland in and around the Fremont-Winema National Forest, a vast expanse of old-growth forest, lakes and wildlife refuges.
If the fire were in densely populated parts of California, it would have destroyed thousands of homes by now, said James Johnston, a researcher with Oregon State University s College of Forestry who studies historical wildfires. But it is burning in one of the more remote areas of the lower 48 states. It s not the Bay Area out there.
At least 2,000 homes have been evacuated at some point during the fire and another 5,000 threatened. At least 70 homes and more than 100 outbuildings have gone up in flames. Thick smoke chokes the area where residents and wildlife alike have already been dealing with months of drought and extreme heat. No one has died.
Washington sees more wildfires earlier in the season this year compared to 2020
According to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center, on July 19, 2020 Washington state had 6 large wildfires. But July 19, 2021, it s reporting 17. Author: Amanda Roley Updated: 5:25 PM PDT July 19, 2021
WASHINGTON There are dozens of fires burning across Western Washington right now, including several in central and eastern Washington.
So how does this wildfire season, so far, compare to last year?
According to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center, on July 19, 2020 Washington state had 6 large wildfires. But July 19, 2021, it s reporting 17.
That means fire crews are responding to more large fires, earlier in the season.
National News
Oregon wildfire s size underscores vastness of West
The monstrous wildfire burning in Oregon has grown to a third the size of Rhode Island and spreads miles each day, but evacuations and property losses have been minimal compared with much smaller blazes in densely populated areas of California.
by Associated Press
Jul. 19 2021 @ 11:05pm
In this photo provided by the Bootleg Fire Incident Command, the Bootleg Fire burns at night in southern Oregon on Saturday, July 17, 2021. The destructive Bootleg Fire, one of the largest in modern Oregon history, has already burned more than 476 square miles (1,210 square kilometers), an area about the size of Los Angeles. The Bootleg Fire is among dozens burning in the parched West. (Bootleg Fire Incident Command via AP)
(The Center Square) â Oregon s Bootleg Fire is growing at a pace firefighters say is pushing personnel to the limit as the inferno adds thousands more acreage per hour.
It was around 8 a.m. Monday the nation s largest active wildfire was burning some 303,791 acres, according to INCIWEB reporting system. The Bootleg Fire grew by 1 p.m. Monday to 343,755 acres or some 537 square miles â greater than the size of Phoenix. Wednesday marks the two-week anniversary of the day it was first reported in Klamath County. Firefighters worry what the next two weeks will mean.
Sunday marked the ninth consecutive day firefighters retreated and regrouped at the scene as flames danced across retardant lines. The Bootleg Fire is growing in all directions, local authorities reported, and added 2,500 acres in the Elder Creek area over the weekend. INCIWEB lists the Bootleg Fire as 25% contained, but people on the ground said the fire keeps moving the goal post.