Over the weekend, nearly a dozen large fires were started across the country. There were four reported in New Mexico, three in Colorado, and one each in Florida and South Dakota. Officials at the National Interagency Fire Center stated that more than 1,350 sq miles (3,496 km) of land has been burned this year. This is a 30% increase on the 10-year average.
A combination of hotter and drier conditions and a persistent drought has made fire danger worse in many parts of the West. Overgrown forests, unhealthy forests, and increased development have all contributed to an increase in fire risk.
In northern New Mexico evacuations were in effect for many communities Monday. However, conditions were too volatile to allow authorities to assess the extent of damage done Friday and Saturday. This wildfire has charred more than 88 square mile (228 kilometers) of land, making it the largest in the United States.
Arizona firefighters took advantage of lighter winds to contain a blaze that had been burning for over a week outside Flagstaff. The strong winds that had fuelled the fire are expected back later in the week. Hundreds of evacuated residents received the green light on Sunday to return home.
According to Jonathan Ashford (spokesman for Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team), more than 80 firefighters and emergency management personnel were involved in fighting the fire known as the Road 702 Fire. It had already burned 65 square miles (168 km2) of mostly rolling rangeland, mostly in Red Willow, Furnas, and Frontier counties by Monday morning. This is less than the initial 78 square mile (202 km) reported by fire officials this weekend.
Late Sunday night, at least six homes had been destroyed and 660 more were in danger, Ashford stated.
Retired fire chief from Cambridge, Nebraska, who was serving as a Red Willow County fire spotter, died Friday night when his truck crashed into a blinding cloud of smoke and dust. John Trumble (66), of Arapahoe was found dead around dawn Saturday.
Fire crews have been unable to contain the fire’s perimeter due to raging winds. Ashford stated that firefighters had to scramble Monday to dig trenches along the fire’s outer edge due to higher humidity and less wind.
He stated, “Tomorrow we expect higher winds return, so time really is of the essence.”
Trumble was the second person to die in a month while fighting a wildfire that erupted in southwest Nebraska. Darren Krull (Elwood Volunteer Fire Chief), 54, was killed when he collided with a tanker in Furnas County. The smoke reduced visibility to zero.
Ashford stated that Nebraska is still in critical dry conditions and urged residents not to set themselves on fire.
He said, “The last thing that we need is to have another flame started that we then have to fight.”