A huge wildfire burning in Oregon could swell to become a “megafire” after spreading over more than 95,000 acres.
The Cram Fire, which is ablaze in the Treasure Valley near the city of Madras, is the largest wildfire to burn in the U.S. this year, and fire crews are continuing to tackle it more than a week on.
The fire broke out July 13 and tore through central Oregon, prompting evacuations, threatening hundreds of buildings and destroying at least four homes, USA Today reports.
Flames first ignited near Willowdale – a remote neighborhood in Jefferson County situated 133 miles southeast of Portland – and charred grasslands in the region, fire officials said. The cause of the blaze is unknown and remains under investigation, officials said.
However, if the blaze grows to at least 100,000 acres, it would be classified as “a megafire” – the first to strike in the U.S. this year, said National Interagency Fire Center spokesman Stanton Florea to NBC News.
Megafires were once considered a rare phenomenon, but in recent years, they have become increasingly common and are lasting longer. They are broadly defined by their size - 100,000 acres or more - though some experts say they must also have an unusually large impact on people and the environment.
Over the last four decades, the average number of acres of forested land affected by wildfire annually in the U.S. has increased by 1,000 percent, says the National Geographic Society. Scientists have attributed the surge and frequency of wildfires to climate change.
On Sunday night, fire officials said: “Firefighters remain vigilant on the north end of the fire, continuing to monitor for any remaining heat. On the south end, crews are working to secure and connect fire lines in preparation for potential gusty winds from an approaching cold front.”
They advised that any smoke north of the city of Madras was coming from other fires in the region.
Roughly 35 miles from the Cram Fire, the Greely Heights fire burns across nearly 400 acres, while 25 miles north, just west of Simnasho in Wasco County, the Butte Creek Fire burns across 2,000 acres.
On Sunday, the Warm Springs Police Department said that evacuation levels around the Butte Creek Fire had been downgraded to “Level 1 – Be ready” in the Schoolie Flats Zone and the Island Zone.
A “Level 1” warning alerts residents that there is no immediate danger, but conditions could change. Officials continue to advise people to remain aware and monitor official information sources. Residents should prepare a plan and supplies.
In California, where wildfires raged through Los Angeles County in January, senators are growing increasingly concerned over President Trump’s federal staffing cuts at the National Weather Service.
In a stark letter obtained by The Los Angeles Times last week, both California Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla pleaded to the Trump administration to reverse the workforce slashes, as California buckles up for peak wildfire season.
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