Akawa Butte Fire Draws Nearly 1,200 Firefighters as Red Flag Warnings Spread Across 5 States
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 24
Akawa Butte Fire Draws Nearly 1,200 Firefighters as Red Flag Warnings Spread Across 5 States
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 24
Summary
Nearly 1,200 firefighters were assigned to Oregon's Akawa Butte fire on Friday, roughly doubling the force on a blaze the state fire marshal called the nation's top priority for resources.
Dry, hot and breezy weather is driving that surge: forecasters warned 90-degree heat, wind gusts above 30 mph and humidity in the teens or single digits could accelerate existing fires and spark new ones.
Southeast Oregon faced the most critical threat Friday, with smaller high-risk areas in Northern California and Nevada.
By Saturday, red flag danger was expected to expand across eastern Oregon and Washington and into northeast California, northwest Nevada, north Idaho and Montana, including populated areas such as Bend.
With resources stretched thin across 67 active blazes, what happens if another explosive mega-fire erupts in the Pacific Northwest this weekend?
Hazardous smoke and explosive fire growth are suffocating the region; how long can residents endure these extremes before permanent relocation becomes necessary?