Wildfires blasting through West draw states to lend support
Source: AP
By NATHAN HOWARD
BLY, Ore. (AP) — Out-of-state crews headed to Montana Saturday to battle a blaze that injured five firefighters as the West struggled with a series of fires that have ravaged rural lands and destroyed homes.
Progress was being made on the nation’s largest blaze, the Bootleg Fire in Oregon, but less than half of it had been contained, fire officials said. The growth of the sprawling fire had slowed but thousands of homes remained threatened on its eastern side, authorities said.
In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday proclaimed a state of emergency for four northern counties because of wildfires that he said were causing “conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property.” The proclamation opens the way for more state support.
On Saturday, fire crews from California and Utah were coming to Montana, Gov. Greg Gianforte announced. Five firefighters were injured Thursday when swirling winds blew flames back on them as they worked on the Devil’s Creek fire burning in rough, steep terrain near the rural town of Jordan.
Marcus Kauffman, public information officer with the Bootleg Fire, walks through burn damage near the Northwest containment line on Friday, July 23, 2021, near Paisley, Ore. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/fires-environment-and-nature-wildfires-20422ed333c200409dc34f610acc1088
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