Large parts of the United States were hit by multiple extreme weather emergencies on Friday, as wildfire smoke spread across the eastern states, flooding continued in Texas, and new wildfires broke out in the Pacific Northwest.
Smoke from wildfires blanketed areas stretching from the Great Lakes to Washington, DC, while floodwaters swept through Texas’ Hill Country for a third consecutive day. At the same time, fresh fires ignited overnight in the Pacific Northwest, bringing the number of major wildfires nationwide to 68 across 15 states.
Millions of people were urged to remain indoors as hazardous air quality, rising floodwaters and rapidly spreading wildfires created dangerous conditions across the country.
According to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), firefighters are battling 68 large wildfires, nearly two dozen more than the previous day. The agency said 17 new fires erupted in the Pacific Northwest after a series of lightning strikes made the region the nation’s most active wildfire hotspot.
More than 17,400 personnel, 140 helicopters and four military C-130 air tanker crews have been deployed to combat the blazes. The NIFC said record-low snowpack in the Mountain West and persistent drought have created unusually dry conditions more typical of mid-August.
So far this year, nearly 3.72 million acres (1.51 million hectares) have burned across the United States, exceeding the area burned by the same point last year by more than one million acres.
Jesse Berman, a professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, said multiple extreme weather events occurring simultaneously can significantly increase the risks faced by affected communities.