Mid-Summer Wildfire Update for Western North America

Western North American wildfire activity has recently surged with the hot temperatures and lack of rainfall in many areas. British Columbia (BC) has been particularly hard hit as wildfires now tearing through its Interior are beginning to take an economic toll, forcing companies in the forestry sector to scale back or suspend operations altogether. Roughly 100,000 acres have burned in BC over the last 90 days; forest products companies West Fraser, Norbord and Tolko have all had to temporarily close facilities in the region to ensure employee safety, and most logging crews have had to suspend harvesting operations.

Wildfire burning in Colorado's White River National Forest on July 5, 2017. Photo: Jack Queen, Summit Daily News

Fresh data from InciWeb fire incident information system reports a number of active fires (and currently inactive but devastating fires over the last 90 days) in the Western US as of this writing: 

Arizona: 

• Active wildfires burning throughout Arizona: 17
• Largest active fire: 50,000 acres near Mt. Graham, AZ
• Total acres currently affected by active wildfire: 215,500
• Total acres burned over the last 90 days: 337,000

California: 

• Active wildfires burning throughout California: 13
• Largest active fire: 16,000 acres in the Sequoia National Forest
• Total acres currently affected by active wildfire: 31,500
• Total acres burned over the last 90 days: 32,500 surprised

Colorado: 

• Active wildfires burning throughout Colorado: 9
• Largest active fire: 13,000 acres near Dinosaur National Monument in northwestern Colorado
• Total acres currently affected by active wildfire: 16,100
• Total acres burned over the last 90 days: 34,800  
  
  

Idaho: 

• Active wildfires burning throughout Idaho: 3
• Largest active fire: 3,600 in Boise National Forest
• Total acres currently affected by active wildfire: 3,600
• Total acres burned over the last 90 days: 192,015
   

Montana: 

• Active wildfires burning throughout Montana: 4
• Largest active fire: 29,000 acres near Lame Deer, MT
• Total acres currently affected by active wildfire: 40,900
• Total acres burned over the last 90 days: 40,950

Nevada: 

• Active wildfires burning throughout Nevada: 16
• Largest active fire: 64,000 acres near Jackpot, NV
• Total acres currently affected by active wildfire: 158,000
• Total acres burned over the last 90 days: 207,700
  
  

Oregon: 

• Active wildfires burning throughout Oregon: 2
• Largest active fire: 6,000 acres near Summer Lake, OR
• Total acres currently affected by active wildfire: 6,000
• Total acres burned over the last 90 days: 6,000
  
  

Washington: 

• Active wildfires burning throughout Washington: 2
• Largest active fire: 700 acres near Orondo, WA
• Total acres currently affected by active wildfire: 1,022
• Total acres burned over the last 90 days: 92,100

US West Totals: 

• Active wildfires burning throughout US West: 64
• Largest active fire: 64,000 acres near Jackpot, NV
• Total acres currently affected by active wildfire: 481,700
• Total acres burned over the last 90 days: 943,000