Hot, dry and windy conditions have created a flawless storm for the spread of large wildfires in several western states, including a massive blaze in California that has destroyed 135-square miles of forest.
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In the southern Sierra Nevada, a fire feeding on critically dry, beetle-killed timber expanded to more than 30 square miles of Sequoia National Forest in Kern and Tulare counties northwest of Lake Isabella. It’s between West Yellowstone, Montana, a town just outside the park’s western boundary, and Madison Junction within the park.
More than 400 homes remained threatened by the fire, which was started July 22 by an illegal campfire and has destroyed 57 homes and 11 other buildings. It’s one of four fires burning in Yellowstone, and warm, windy weather was expected again Monday.
Almost 1,900 structures were threatened by a blaze in coastal San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties, where more than 2,400 people were under evacuation orders.
A wind-driven wildfire in central California led to more evacuations and the closure of the Hearst Castle on Saturday.
In California’s San Luis Obispo County, firefighters have been able to carve containment lines around about a third of the 37,100-acre (15,000-hectare) Chimney Fire by Tuesday morning.
Several wildfires are burning near Spokane, Washington, and they’ve destroyed at least 16 homes already. He said the fire is within a mile of the community of Alta Sierra in Kern County. It wasn’t immediately clear how many homes were lost.
People in the community of Wellpinit have been told to evacuate. That fire had scorched 250 acres by Sunday evening and officials said some homes were likely destroyed. It had burned more than 34 square miles on Monday and was still growing.
The Sanders County Sheriff’s Office told people to leave their homes outside the small town of Thompson Falls.
All evacuation orders were lifted Sunday, but only residents were allowed beyond the road closures, which include Lone Pine Canyon Road at Swarthout Canyon Road to Highway 138; US Forest Road 3N31 at Lone Pine Canyon Road and the dirt portion of Lytle Creek Road from the gun range to the forest.
One hundred firefighters were battling the wildfire, whose size had reduced from eighty square miles. Forecasters were expecting afternoon wind gusts of 25 miles per hour.
Nobody was killed in the fire, though there were firefighters injured.
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The fire quickly spread out of control after it ignited due to unknown causes last Tuesday.
