At least 70 large wildfires burning in US west as fears mount over conditions
At least 70 large wildfires are burning across the US west and nearby states – engulfing more than 1m acres in flames – as fears mount that shifting conditions can worsen an already dire situation. Significant areas of these states are in the grips of drought conditions that are considered “extreme” and “exceptional” – the most severe categories. In California, a rapidly growing wildfire south of Lake Tahoe jumped a highway, prompting more evacuation orders and the cancellation of an extreme bike ride through the Sierra Nevada on Saturday.
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- Inside Climate News: On California’s Coast, Black Abalone, Already Vulnerable to Climate Change, are Increasingly Threatened by Wildfire
- Los Angeles Times: Firefighters achieve mixed success in containing Northern California fires
- CNN: Monsoon promises much needed rain for the parched West, but the prospect for lightning strikes could mean more fires
- Independent: Freak thunderstorm brings heaviest downpour to Palm Springs in six months amid California mega drought