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Wildfires destroy homes and prompt evacuations in California and Oregon

July 23, 2024

Wildfire sweeps through Southern California neighborhood

At least a half-dozen homes were destroyed on Monday as wildfires spread rapidly through a Southern California neighborhood amid extreme heat.

According to a media briefing held on Monday evening, six homes were destroyed and seven others damaged after a fire, sparked by fireworks, erupted on Sunday afternoon in Riverside, about 60 miles east of Los Angeles.

The fire covered nearly a square mile.

Riverside resident Noel Piri shared his experience with The Press-Enterprise: “It was kind of sad to see the house was gone.”

He and his wife were away when they received a call about the fire and rushed back to rescue their dog, only to find their newly remodeled house in flames.

Heat wave and multiple fires across California

Riverside recorded a high of 102 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday during a heat wave expected to persist throughout the week.

Many other fires burned across the state, including one that began on Saturday and expanded to over 4 square miles near Lake and Colusa counties, northwest of Sacramento.

This fire reached 25% containment by Monday.

In the Pacific Northwest and Idaho, lightning ignited new fires in Oregon over the weekend.

The largest blazes were in rural areas of eastern Oregon and Washington, affecting air quality in these regions as well as into Idaho.

Evacuations and closures in Oregon due to wildfires

Authorities evacuated the town of Huntington, Oregon, with about 500 residents, and temporarily closed Interstate 84 late Sunday.

The Baker County Sheriff’s Office explained on Facebook that thunderstorms caused a massive smoke column to collapse, resulting in 50 mph winds and fears that the fire would jump I-84.

Evacuation orders remained in place on Monday, with the fire covering over 272 square miles with no containment.

Additionally, three new fires started northwest of Huntington, prompting more evacuations and the closure of I-84 in the Durkee area.

The Malheur National Forest in neighboring Malheur County was closed to public use due to active wildfires, severe weather conditions, and limited firefighting resources.

Fires and wind advisory in Columbia River Gorge

Another fire ignited Monday afternoon on the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge.

A wind advisory was issued until midnight, with gusts expected to reach up to 50 mph.

The Wasco County Sheriff’s Office mandated evacuations for an area up to the edge of Mosier, instructing residents of the town to be ready to evacuate.

Large wildfires can create plumes of smoke and ash rising more than 5 miles, which can collapse if the amount of heat over the fire decreases or strong winds shear off the top of the column.

This phenomenon, known as a smoke column collapse, can happen multiple times a day, as reported by the Southwest Fire Science Consortium.

Evacuation lifted in Salt Lake City

In Utah, evacuation orders for a wildfire near the state Capitol in Salt Lake City were lifted.

The fire started on Saturday and grew to about 200 acres.

Though the evacuation order ended late Sunday, officials warned residents to remain ready to evacuate, as the fire was only partially contained as of Monday morning.

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