A record fire season in the U.S.

[phantom power]

Massive fires continue to burn in Nevada, Idaho and California, and fires that are currently active in the Western U.S. have consumed over 1.3 million acres of land--an area approximately the size of Delaware. Thanks to widespread drought and unusually high temperatures over the past month, 3 million acres have gone up in flames since mid-July, and the fire season of 2012 now ranks in first place for the most acreage burned at this point in the year. According to the Interagency Fire Center, 6.8 million acres have burned as of August 19 this year, beating the previous record set just last year (6.5 million acres for the year-to-date period.) The Interagency Fire Center shows year-to-date records just for the past ten years. The 2012 fire season is well ahead of the pace of 2006, which was the worst fire year in the U.S. for total acreage burned in a year (records began in 1960). In 2006, 9.9 million acres burned, and 6.4 million acres had burned by August 19. With drought conditions far more widespread this year compared to 2006, and the latest forecasts calling for little drought relief over the coming two months, 2012 is likely to surpass 2006 as the worst fire year in U.S. history before the end of the year.

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=2194


Figure 5. Comparison of drought conditions between the previous record fire year in the contiguous U.S. (2006) with 2012. Drought is much more widespread in 2012 compared to 2006, and 2012 will likely finish ahead of 2006 for the most acreage burned since record keeping began in 1960. Image credit: U.S. Drought Monitor.

[Kolesar]

1. I wanted to retire & move to the Western mountains, but now I have my doubts

There have even been big wildfires in Washington this year.

[pscot]

2. This has been a bad one because it's in a populated area

Firefighters are hoping to reach containment Tuesday on a fire that has burned dozens of homes east of the Cascades.

A spokesman for the Taylor Bridge fire burning east of Cle Elum says they are expecting the weather to cooperate with firefighting efforts on Monday, for the most part.

Mick Mueller says some gusty wind is in the forecast for Monday late afternoon and evening, but rain may also be on the way.

The Taylor Bridge Fire broke out a week ago at a bridge construction project. It has burned across more than 23,000 acres of grass, sagebrush and timber in rural areas about 75 miles east of Seattle.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2018955760_apwawashingtonwildfires.html

[Kolesar]

3. thanks, that's the story

I have been traveling and have missed a lot of the details.