Firefighters in Ramsey Crossing, California, battled the Mosquito fire on September 15. California’s largest fire this year has burned nearly 76,800 acres and been active for 39 days, but is now 95 percent contained. Photo: Eric Thayer/Getty Images
Authorities in southwest Washington ordered the evacuation of thousands of homes as a wind-driven wildfire grew rapidly Sunday.
The big picture: There are unusually high numbers of wildfires in the Pacific Northwest, Intermountain West and Canada as much of the western United States faces “temperatures above normal and minimum relative humidity,” according to the National Inter Agency Fire Center.
Photo: National Weather Service Seattle/Twitter
- “Record temperatures, dry weather, wildfire concerns and air quality issues in the Pacific Northwest continue,” the National Weather Service said in a forecast update Monday morning.
By the numbers: Washington’s Nakia Creek fire near Camas, east of Vancouver, which prompted evacuation orders Sunday, is one of 66 large fires in the U.S., according to the latest data of the NIFC.
- The Clark Emergency Services Agency expanded evacuation zones in response to the fire Sunday, affecting 35,000 to 40,000 homes, KGW reports.
Expand: Smoke from that Washington wildfire in eastern Clark County that has burned about 2,000 acres was “visible throughout the metropolitan area that Vancouver shares with Portland, Oregon,” AP notes.
- An air quality advisory remained in place for Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley in southwestern British Columbia due to wildfires in Washington and Canada, according to a tweet from Metro Vancouver late Sunday.
Photo: BC Wildfire Service/Twitter
Away: 24 large fires were burning in Idaho, 22 in Montana, 13 in Washington and five in Oregon, according to NIFC data.
- California and South Dakota each reported a large fire.
Background: Scientific research shows that climate change is a key factor in wildfire risk.
What we’re seeing: “The Northwest will remain warmer than normal for the next several days thanks to the continued presence of a firm upper-level ridge,” the National Weather Service said in a forecast update Monday morning .
- “Some records may be tied or broken in the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies on Tuesday.”
Editor’s note: This article has been updated with new details.