The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) said on July 24 that more than 3.1 million acres have burned in 93 large fires and complexes in 15 states. Four Type 1 incident management teams (IMT) and seven Type 2 IMTs are managing incidents in Alaska, California, Idaho, Nevada and Texas. Nearly 8,400 wildland firefighters and support personnel are assigned to incidents.
Extreme fire behavior was observed on the Oak Fire in California and the Buffer West Fire in Florida. The danger increases as many states experience very hot temperatures and dry conditions.
Nine out of ten wildfires in the United States are human-caused. Some people walk away without putting out their campfire, others light fireworks around day brush and grass. These behaviors are dangerous and unlawful. NIFC asks citizens to reduce wildland fires by reporting careless and illegal behavior. If you see something suspicious, please call the nearest law enforcement office and help protect the wildlands.
A deep low-pressure system over central Canada moved eastward yesterday, allowing high pressure to rebuild over the western United States, centering over the Four Corners area. This shift will allow temperatures to once again reach above normal in the western Great Basin, inland valleys of California, most of Washington, Oregon and across the southern Great Plains, where low relative humidity and breezy conditions will persist. The position of the ridge will allow monsoonal moisture and associated scattered thunderstorms to return to the Four Corners region. Heavy rain and flash floods are possible in the vicinity of these storms in portions of Colorado, New Mexico and Southern Arizona. Wet thunderstorms are expected in the Midwest, across the Great Lakes and the southeastern United States. The greater New England area and as far south as the Carolinas will reach well above normal temperatures as this afternoon. A mid-level trough moving across the Northwest will bring just enough moisture into southwestern Montana and portions of eastern Idaho for the development of likely dry, isolated thunderstorms. Low relative humidity and gusty winds are also expected in these areas as well as across the Snake River Plain and into Western Wyoming.