A series of massive wildfires has erupted across the interior western United States, causing casualties and large-scale displacement.
CNN reported Sunday that red flag warnings had been issued in six states: Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming and Nebraska.
In Colorado, the hardest-hit state, 16 wildfires were burning simultaneously as of the previous night. The Snyder Fire, which began June 26 at the Colorado-Utah border, has consumed about 30,163 acres (approximately 122 square kilometers) so far.
The blaze spread rapidly, successively absorbing the nearby Jones Fire, Knolls Fire and Gore Fire. In southern Colorado, the Aspen Acres Fire expanded to more than 28,000 acres, burning 155 buildings, and evacuation orders were issued for thousands of residents in Pueblo and Custer counties. Colorado Governor Jared Polis declared a state of emergency and deployed the National Guard.
Casualties have also occurred. Five firefighters faced a "burnover" situation, becoming trapped in flames during the initial response to the Knolls Fire. Three of them were killed and two suffered severe burns. Those killed in action were identified as Emily Barker, 38, Nick Hutcherson, 27, and Sydney Watson, 27. The US Department of the Interior said they had deployed emergency shelters but could not escape the flames. The deaths mark the first fatalities since the US Wildland Fire Service was launched this past January.
In Utah, 12 wildfires are burning. The Cottonwood Fire, blazing in the Fishlake National Forest in the Beaver County area, covered about 94,000 acres (approximately 380 square kilometers) as of Sunday, making it the largest wildfire in the United States, with containment at just 4 percent.
The fire destroyed 150 structures including homes, condominiums and cabins, and a significant portion of the Eagle Point Ski Resort facilities were also burned down. In southeastern Utah, the Babylon Fire burned more than 45,000 acres, and part of the Manti-La Sal National Forest and the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park were closed. Utah Governor Spencer Cox had already declared a state of emergency and restricted fireworks statewide.
The current wildfire situation aligns with this year's overall US wildfire trend. According to the NIFC, the cumulative number of wildfires this year has reached 35,884, with the burned area exceeding 3.1 million acres. This is 195 percent of the 10-year average, and the number of reports also exceeds 140 percent of the average.
Behind this lies a record-warm winter. Seven western states recorded their warmest winter since weather observations began in 1895, and in Colorado, 97 percent of snowpack measurement stations reported "snow drought" conditions as of March. Analysts say these conditions raised fuel dryness from spring onward, serving as the backdrop for this summer's wildfire spread.
The NIFC raised the national preparedness level to 4 out of 5 and decided to concentrate federal resources. Colorado is enforcing county-by-county fireworks bans, while Utah has restricted fireworks statewide. Ahead of the Fourth of July, marking the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding, both states are far from a festive mood. In northern Arizona and northwestern New Mexico, strong winds of 20 to 40 kilometers per second and single-digit humidity are expected to continue, raising fire risk through this weekend.
