Historic wildfires rage across Pacific Northwest: Washington town devastated

[TomCADem]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by applegrove (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: USA Today

FRESNO, Calif. – Helicopter rescues were underway near Fresno and California's largest utility was cutting off power to more than 170,000 customers Tuesday as intense heat, dry conditions and high winds fueled historic wildfires across the Pacific Northwest.

Almost 1,000 fires have raged in the state since Aug. 15, many sparked by lightning strikes. California already has set a grim record with more than 2 million acres burned this year – more than 3,000 square miles – with several weeks remaining in the heart of fire season.

Hurricane-force winds and high temperatures energized wildfires across Oregon and Washington state as well. Almost 250,000 homes and businesses in the two states were without power, and the small town of Malden, in Washington's Whitman County, was devastated by flames.

"The scale of this disaster really can't be expressed in words," Whitman County Sheriff Brett Myers said in a statement. "The fire will be extinguished but a community has been changed for a lifetime."

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/09/08/california-wildfire-updates-lake-edison-power-outages-oregon-evacuation/5743310002/

[utopian]

1. I'm in NW Portland

The wind kicked up in the early evening, and within minutes the air was filled with smoke and ash. The atmosphere was eerie and surreal. I was hoping we'd sneak by the fire season, seeing as how 2020 has already been a shitshow of historic proportions.

[Baclava]

2. Doesn't fire season usually run to November? The winds are just starting, long way to go.

Stay safe

[jmbar2]

3. I'm in Newport, Or on the coast

I've never seen smoke like this in the four years I've been on the coast. Visibility is limited like a heavy fog and the air is orange. Dust is seeping through cracks around the windows.

Fires are burning all around the state, with unusually high winds spreading the fire and smoke.

apocalyptic

[applegrove]

4. After discussion with hosts ... LOCKING

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