The West Sees Heightened Wildfire Activity Thanks to September Heat

Wildfires burning throughout much of the western U.S. have forced the evacuations of thousands of residents. Here is a look at what is happening in each of the most impacted states.

California

As is typical for this time of the year, California has become a hotbed of wildfire activity. Three major fires are burning in the Golden State even as temperatures begin to cool following last week's heat wave. While the cooler weather helped crews to get the upper hand on some of the blazes, it was too little too late for dozens of homes that were destroyed by flames.

The Bridge Fire is currently the most concerning blaze in the state. The inferno exploded in size on Tuesday, burning dozens of homes in the communities of Mount Baldy and Wrightwood, including the Mountain High Ski Resort. Home to about 4,500 people, Wrightwood is located in the San Gabriel Mountains east of Los Angeles. The entire community was put under evacuation orders as the flames encroached.

The Bridge Fire began on Sunday and quickly spread due to the hot temperatures and dry conditions. As of Friday morning, the fire had burned over 80 square miles spread out over Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties and was 0% contained. At least 30 structures have been burned to the ground.

While the weather conditions became more favorable over the last few days, higher winds at the top elevations were spreading the flames. The Bridge Fire has proven to be particularly challenging to get under control due to the inaccessible terrain of the region.

Elsewhere in California, the Airport Fire has burned over 36 square miles across Riverside and Orange Counties. This fire is only 5% contained after igniting on Monday. The blaze broke out near a remote-controlled airplane airport, burning through over 14 square miles just one day later. The Airport Fire jumped a highway, forcing the closure of roads in the region.

Over 1,000 firefighters were sent to try to contain the fire as it threatened communities. There have been seven injuries blamed on the Airport Fire.

The Line Fire is burning east of Los Angeles, also in San Bernardino County. This particular fire has synged over 58 square miles and is about 18% contained. At least three firefighter injuries have been attributed to the Line Fire.

Several communities are under evacuation orders in San Bernardino County as the Line Fire continues to burn with over 36,000 buildings in its possible path of destruction. County officials have closed all schools through at least Friday.

Local authorities confirmed that the Line Fire was intentionally set on September 5 when temperatures were hovering in the triple digits. The arson suspect was identified and arrested on Tuesday. Justin Wayne Halstenberg, age 34, faces nine charges and is being held on $80,000 bond.

The Line Fire was producing flames that were so hot that it was able to create its own rain event. This phenomenon happens when heat and moisture rising into the sky produce pyrocumulus clouds high in the atmosphere. These clouds are also known as being prolific producers of lightning, raising the risk of even more fires.

There was good news in Fresno County on Thursday when evacuation orders were lifted for the Boone Fire. This fire has charred over 27 square miles and is now about 95% contained.

California Gov. Gavin Newson announced overnight that the state has secured a grant from FEMA to support the firefighting efforts in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. The California National Guard has been sent to help with the responses. The resources include 80 soldiers, several Blackhawk helicopters, and a police company.

Looking at the year as a whole, there have been at least 6.078 wildfires in California, burning over 1,500 square miles. These numbers are on track with the 5-year average. The 2024 fires have demolished over 1,300 structures and killed at least one person.