Latest news with #megafire
The Independent
a day ago
- Climate
- The Independent
The largest wildfire in the US this year looks set to become a ‘megafire' after covering nearly 100,000 acres
A huge wildfire burning in Oregon could swell to become a 'megafire' after spreading over more than 95,000 acres. The Cram Fire, which is ablaze in the Treasure Valley near the city of Madras, is the largest wildfire to burn in the U.S. this year, and fire crews are continuing to tackle it more than a week on. The fire broke out July 13 and tore through central Oregon, prompting evacuations, threatening hundreds of buildings and destroying at least four homes, USA Today reports. Flames first ignited near Willowdale – a remote neighborhood in Jefferson County situated 133 miles southeast of Portland – and charred grasslands in the region, fire officials said. The cause of the blaze is unknown and remains under investigation, officials said. However, if the blaze grows to at least 100,000 acres, it would be classified as 'a megafire' – the first to strike in the U.S. this year, said National Interagency Fire Center spokesman Stanton Florea to NBC News. Megafires were once considered a rare phenomenon, but in recent years, they have become increasingly common and are lasting longer. They are broadly defined by their size - 100,000 acres or more - though some experts say they must also have an unusually large impact on people and the environment. Over the last four decades, the average number of acres of forested land affected by wildfire annually in the U.S. has increased by 1,000 percent, says the National Geographic Society. Scientists have attributed the surge and frequency of wildfires to climate change. On Sunday night, fire officials said: 'Firefighters remain vigilant on the north end of the fire, continuing to monitor for any remaining heat. On the south end, crews are working to secure and connect fire lines in preparation for potential gusty winds from an approaching cold front.' They advised that any smoke north of the city of Madras was coming from other fires in the region. Roughly 35 miles from the Cram Fire, the Greely Heights fire burns across nearly 400 acres, while 25 miles north, just west of Simnasho in Wasco County, the Butte Creek Fire burns across 2,000 acres. On Sunday, the Warm Springs Police Department said that evacuation levels around the Butte Creek Fire had been downgraded to 'Level 1 – Be ready' in the Schoolie Flats Zone and the Island Zone. A 'Level 1' warning alerts residents that there is no immediate danger, but conditions could change. Officials continue to advise people to remain aware and monitor official information sources. Residents should prepare a plan and supplies. In California, where wildfires raged through Los Angeles County in January, senators are growing increasingly concerned over President Trump's federal staffing cuts at the National Weather Service.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Oregon wildfire burns almost 100K acres, approaching rare megafire status
The country's largest wildfire this year has burned over 95,740 acres, fire officials in central Oregon said Sunday, as ground crews made progress to partially contain a blaze that could still intensify to become a so-called megafire. The size of the Cram Fire was adjusted slightly downward from Saturday after "more accurate mapping" was completed, officials said. They added that the massive blaze — which has drawn more than 900 fire personnel, destroyed a handful of homes and prompted evacuations in two counties — was 49% contained after crews struggled to keep back the flames last week. "Yesterday was another favorable day with us with the weather, and so a lot of good work was done," Scott Stutzman, operations section chief of the Oregon State Fire Marshal, said Sunday in a Facebook video. "We'll have those crews out there continuing to maintain a presence mopping up, and also assisting our wildland partners on the perimeter." Cooler temperatures and higher humidity over the weekend are expected to continue early this week, potentially aiding firefighting efforts, but the sheer size of the fire has been staggering: If it grows to at least 100,000 acres, it would be classified as a megafire, becoming the first one in the U.S. in 2025, said Stanton Florea, a spokesman with the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, which coordinates the country's wildland firefighting operations. Oregon saw six wildfires reach megafire status last year, federal data shows. The phenomenon is considered rare, but it has grown in frequency as wildfires in general become more widespread and intense. Megafires "are more common now," Florea said. "We're having longer fire seasons — what we're calling, the 'fire year.' And more intense fires that are lasting longer." So far this year, there have been 40,934 wildfires, the highest year-to-date total in at least a decade, according to National Interagency Fire Center data. But of the 1.6 million wildfires that have occurred since 2000, just 254 exceeded 100,000 acres burned, and only 16 were at least 500,000 acres, a Congressional Research Service report said in 2023. "A small fraction of wildfires become catastrophic, and a small percentage of fires accounts for the vast majority of acres burned," the service said. "For example, about 1% of wildfires become conflagrations — raging, destructive fires — but predicting which fires will 'blow up' into conflagrations is challenging and depends on a multitude of factors, such as weather and geography." The higher chance of extreme weather conditions, such as prolonged drought and strong winds, is being fueled by human-caused global warming, recent reports indicate. That means wildfires may not only ignite suddenly, but also strengthen in magnitude at a furious pace. The Cram Fire, which led to evacuations in parts of Jefferson and Wasco counties, began a week ago, exploding amid extremely hot, dry and windy conditions in the West. The cause remains under investigation. Florea said the Pacific Northwest is the highest-priority area in the country at the moment, with the country's wildland firefighting resources being directed there, including to help battle at least nine large fires burning in Oregon. Such heavy demand means officials must prioritize how resources are used. An increase in the number of wildfires strains the system and the fatigued crews who work around-the-clock shifts, Florea added. While 88 engines and eight helicopters continue to be deployed to prevent the Cram Fire from spreading, the Oregon State Fire Marshal said Sunday it would begin modifying its response as containment improves. At least four homes and two other structures have been destroyed so far. The fire is no longer threatening residences to the same degree, officials said. Kyle Butler, whose home in rural Jefferson County was nearly burned in the blaze, said one neighbor fled the flames with her life, but returned to find her home severely damaged. "Everything's gone," Butler told NBC affiliate KGW in Portland. "Her house is pretty much in shambles." This article was originally published on
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Cram Fire approaches megafire status, crosses 90K acres
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Cram Fire, burning about 15 miles north of Madras in Central Oregon, has grown to 94,000 acres as of Friday morning. The fire sparked on Sunday, July 13, and is actively burning through tall grass, brush, and some timber. Growth is expected to continue Friday afternoon and evening as breezy conditions develop. Wildfire in Clackamas County prompts Level 3 'Go Now' evacuations for campsites, hikers A Red Flag Warning is in effect Friday with wind gusts topping out around 35 mph and relative humidity dipping as low as 10%, creating dangerous fire weather conditions. If it continues to grow, the Cram Fire could become Oregon's first 'megafire' of the season – a term used for wildfires that burn over 100,000 acres. In recent years, Oregon has seen several megafires during peak fire season, . That historic season burned well over a million acres of land statewide. and burned more acreage than in the 2020 season. According to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, the Cram Fire was sparked by a transformer in the area. Officials have issued Level 3 'Go Now,' Level 2 'Be Set,' and Level 1 'Be Ready' evacuations for both counties. Updated maps for Jefferson County and Wasco County are available. The KOIN 6 Weather team will continue to monitor wildfire dangers and wildfire smoke impacts as the season heads into the hottest and driest stretch of the year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Cram Fire nears megafire status in Central Oregon
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — approaching the 100,000-acre megafire status, continues to burn in Central Oregon about 15 miles north of Madras. However, cooler temps and lower wind speeds this weekend 'will likely moderate fire behavior,' officials said Saturday. The fire, which began July 13, is now acres with 775 personnel actively engaged in the battle. Evacuations remain in effect. Jefferson, Wasco and Crook County Sheriffs have issued Level 3 (Go Now), Level 2 (Be Set), and Level 1 (Be Ready) evacuations across multiple the large fire, officials said there are no closures to Bureau of Land Management land 'at this time.' But conditions are constantly monitored and may change. Burdoin Fire evacuations expand east, Lyle at Level 3 'Go Now' According to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, the Cram Fire was sparked by a transformer in the area. However, the cause remains under investigation. In recent years, Oregon has seen several megafires during peak fire season, . That historic season burned well over a million acres of land statewide. and burned more acreage than in the 2020 season. The KOIN 6 Weather team will continue to monitor wildfire dangers and wildfire smoke impacts as the season heads into the hottest and driest stretch of the year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
The Guardian
03-07-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
California sees largest wildfire this year as Madre fire spreads north of Los Angeles
A fast-growing wildfire in central California has become the largest in the state this year, surpassing the size of January's wildfires that devastated parts of Los Angeles. The Madre fire had exploded to more than 35,000 acres by Thursday morning, after breaking out in San Luis Obispo county on Wednesday afternoon. Acres burned US wildfires are measured in terms of acres. While the size of a wildfire doesn't necessarily correlate to its destructive impact, acreage provides a way to understand a fire's footprint and how quickly it has grown. There are 2.47 acres in a hectare, and 640 acres in a square mile, but this can be hard to visualise. Here are some easy comparisons: one acre equates to roughly the size of an American football field. London's Heathrow airport is about 3,000 acres. Manhattan covers roughly 14,600 acres, while Chicago is roughly 150,000 acres, and Los Angeles is roughly 320,000 acres. Megafire A megafire is defined by the National Interagency Fire Center as a wildfire that has burned more than 100,000 acres (40,000 hectares). Containment level A wildfire's containment level indicates how much progress firefighters have made in controlling the fire. Containment is achieved by creating perimeters the fire can't move across. This is done through methods such as putting fire retardants on the ground, digging trenches, or removing brush and other flammable fuels. Containment is measured in terms of the percentage of the fire that has been surrounded by these control lines. A wildfire with a low containment level, such as 0% or 5%, is essentially burning out of control. A fire with a high level of containment, such as 90%, isn't necessarily extinguished but rather has a large protective perimeter and a rate of growth that is under control. Evacuation orders and warnings Evacuation warnings and orders are issued by officials when a wildfire is causing imminent danger to people's life and property. According to the California office of emergency services, an evacuation warning means that it's a good idea to leave an area or get ready to leave soon. An evacuation order means that you should leave the area immediately. Red flag warning A red flag warning is a type of forecast issued by the National Weather Service that indicates when weather conditions are likely to spark or spread wildfires. These conditions typically include dryness, low humidity, high winds and heat. Prescribed burn A prescribed burn, or a controlled burn, is a fire that is intentionally set under carefully managed conditions in order to improve the health of a landscape. Prescribed burns are carried out by trained experts such as members of the US Forest Service and Indigenous fire practitioners. Prescribed burns help remove flammable vegetation and reduce the risk of larger, more catastrophic blazes, among other benefits. Prescribed burning was once a common tool among Native American tribes who used 'good fire' to improve the land, but was limited for much of the last century by a US government approach based on fire suppression. In recent years, US land managers have returned to embracing the benefits of prescribed burns, and now conduct thousands across the country every year. The blaze reportedly began in a mountainous area of the county, which lies about 200 miles north of Los Angeles, sending smoke into neighboring regions and prompting evacuation orders and highway closures. As of Thursday morning the fire was at 5% containment, according to the state's wildfire agency CalFire. The cause of the fire was not yet known. The Madre fire is one about a dozen blazes burning across California. Western states are bracing for a potentially explosive summer wildfire season due to a dry winter, followed by warm spring and summer temperatures that have dried out vegetation. Farther north in Oregon, which has been dealing with record-breaking early season heat, officials warned that a large wildfire in June 'should come as a reminder to Oregonians to be ready'. Firefighters and experts recently told the Guardian that the US federal firefighting force is worryingly underprepared for the summer due to a series of changes ushered in by the Trump administration, including cuts to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) – the agency that provides US weather monitoring – as well as staffing and budget cuts. More details soon …
