This is how this city in California was after the Dixie fire 0:45
(CNN) -
The dozens of wildfires that have raged across the western United States this summer have consumed an average of 77 square kilometers, nearly half the size of Washington, on a daily basis, the US Drought Monitor said Thursday. USA
And the relentless heat will make matters worse, as dry and dangerous thunderstorms are expected this weekend in Northern California, home to the nation's largest wildfire.
"Little or no precipitation fell in most of the (western) region, and the intensity of the drought was unchanged from last week in most areas," the monitor said, noting that the dryness, aggravated due to periods of intense heat, "has led to the rapid development and expansion of forest fires."
Since early June, the fires have burned an area "about half the size of Washington," according to the entity, which occurs through a partnership between the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the US Department of Agriculture. .UU. And the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
1 of 41
|
Plumes of smoke rise from the Kwis fire near Eugene, Oregon, on August 10.
(Photo by Chris Pietsch / The Register-Guard / USA Today Network) See more images →
2 of 41
|
A firefighter works to extinguish a controlled fire, a preventative measure, to protect a home in Greenville, California, on Monday, August 9.
Photo by David Odisho / Getty Images
3 of 41
|
Firefighters fighting the Dixie fire clear a fallen tree from a road in Plumas County, California, on Friday, August 6.
Photo by Noah Berger / AP
4 of 41
|
Dixie flames consume a pickup truck on Highway 89, south of Greenville, California, on August 5.
Photo by Noah Berger / AP
5 of 41
|
Chief of Operations Jay Walter passes the historic Sierra Lodge building as the Dixie Fire burns in Greenville, California, on August 4.
The fire ripped through several historic buildings and dozens of homes in downtown Greenville.
Photo by Noah Berger / AP
6 of 41
|
Firefighters work at a Greenville home that was engulfed by the Dixie fire on August 4.
Photo by Josh Edelson / AFP / Getty Images
7 of 41
|
The Dixie fire burns near Taylorsville, California, on July 29.
Photo by David Swanson / Reuters
8 of 41
|
California Governor Gavin Newsom, left, and Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak, tour an area destroyed by the Tamarack Fire in Gardnerville, Nevada, on July 28.
Photo by Sam Metz / AP
9 of 41
|
Firefighter Brentt Call walks through a burned area of the Bootleg near Klamath Falls, Oregon, on July 27.
Photo by Chris Pietsch / The Register-Guard / USA Today Network
10 of 41
|
Cal Fire captains Tristan Gale, left, and Derek Leong monitor an operation in California's Lassen National Forest on July 26.
Crews had set the ground on fire to stop the spread of the Dixie fire.
Photo by Noah Berger / AP
11 of 41
|
Firefighters attempt to reach the scene of a fire in Quincy, California, on July 25.
Photo by Neal Waters / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images
12 of 41
|
Volunteers sort clothes at a shelter for those affected by the fire in Bly, Oregon.
Photo by Maranie Staab / Bloomberg / Getty Images
13 of 41
|
Scott Griffin inspects his property, which was destroyed by the Bootleg Fire in Sycan Estates, Oregon.
Photo by Mathieu Lewis-Rolland / Reuters
14 of 41
|
Flames engulf a home as the Dixie Fire rips through the Indian Falls community of Plumas County, California on July 24.
Photo by Noah Berger / AP
15 of 41
|
People stand behind the line of fire as flames from the Steptoe Canyon Fire spread through dry grass in Colton, Washington, on July 22.
Photo by Frank / Lewiston Tribune / AP
16 of 41
|
Smoke plumes from the Dixie rise over California's Plumas National Forest, near Pacific Gas and Electric Rock Creek Power House, on July 21.
Photo by Peter DaSilva / UPI / Shutterstock
17 of 41
|
Firefighters walk near a wildfire in Topanga, California, on July 19.
Photo by Ringo HW Chiu / AP
18 of 41
|
A firefighter does clean-up work in the Fremont-Winema National Forest, which has been battling the Bootleg Fire in Oregon.
Photo by Mathieu Lewis-Rolland / Getty Images
19 of 41
|
A car is charred by the Bootleg fire on a highway near Bly, Oregon.
Photo by Nathan Howard / AP
20 of 41
|
Nicolas Bey, 11, hugs his father, Sayyid, near a donated trailer they are using after their home was burned in the Bootleg fire near Beatty, Oregon.
Photo by David Ryder / Reuters
21 of 41
|
Firefighters extinguish hot spots in a fire-affected area near Bly, Oregon.
Photo by David Ryder / Reuters
22 of 41
|
A bear cub clings to a tree after being discovered by a safety officer at the Bootleg Fire in Oregon.
Photo by Bryan Daniels / AP
23 of 41
|
Firefighters work to protect Markleeville, California, from the Tamarack Fire on July 17.
The Tamarack fire was started by lightning.
Photo by Ty O'Neil / SOPA Images / LightRocket / Getty Images
24 of 41
|
The Tamarack fire burns in Markleeville, near the California-Nevada border, on July 17.
Photo by Ty O'Neil / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images
25 of 41
|
A member of Team 12 of the Northwest Incident Management team holds up a map of the Chuweah Creek fire when wildfires ravaged Nespelem, Washington, on July 16.
Photo by David Ryder / Reuters
26 of 41
|
A cloud from the Bootleg Fire rises into the air near Bly, Oregon, on July 16.
Photo by Payton Bruni / AFP / Getty Images
27 of 41
|
Firefighters spray water from the Union Pacific Railroad fire train as they fight the Dixie Fire in California's Plumas National Forest on July 16.
Photo by Noah Berger / AP
28 of 41
|
Horses climb a hillside that was burned by Chuweah Creek in eastern Washington.
Photo by David Ryder / Reuters
29 of 41
|
The Bootleg fire lights up smoke near Bly, Oregon, on the night of July 16.
Photo by Payton Bruni / AFP / Getty Images
30 of 41
|
A firefighter battles the Bootleg Fire in the Fremont-Winema National Forest, along the Oregon-California border, on July 15.
U.S. Forest Service Photo / ZUMA Press Wire
31 of 41
|
A firefighting plane drops flame retardant at the Bootleg in Bly, Oregon, on July 15.
Photo by Mathieu Lewis-Rolland / Reuters
32 of 41
|
Firefighters excavate hot spots below after flames from the Snake River Complex fire that struck the area south of Lewiston, Idaho, on July 15.
Photo by Pete Caster / Lewiston Tribune via AP
33 of 41
|
There are burned-out cars outside a home that was destroyed by the Chuweah Creek fire in Nespelem, Washington.
Photo by David Ryder / Reuters
34 of 41
|
Dee McCarley hugs her cat Bunny at a Red Cross center in Klamath Falls, Oregon, on July 14.
Photo by Nathan Howard / AP
35 of 41
|
An airplane throws flame retardant into the Chuweah Creek fire in Washington on July 14 David Ryder / Reuters
36 of 41
|
Operations Section Chief Bert Thayer examines a map of the Bootleg fire in Chiloquin, Oregon, on July 13.
Photo by Nathan Howard / AP
37 of 41
|
Fire consumes a home when the Sugar Fire rips through Doyle, California, on July 10.
It is the second time in less than a year that the small town has been devastated by a wildfire.
Photo by Noah Berger / AP
38 of 41
|
Men hug a Red Cross member at a Bootleg fire evacuation center in Klamath Falls, Oregon.
Photo by Mathieu Lewis-Rolland / Reuters
39 of 41
|
Embers blow across a field as the Sugar Fire burns in Doyle, California, on July 9.
Photo by Noah Berger / AP
40 of 41
|
Firefighters monitor the Sugar in Doyle, California, on July 9.
Photo by Noah Berger / AP
41 of 41
|
In this long-exposure photo, taken early July 2, flames surround a drought-stricken Shasta Lake during the Salt Fire in California.
Photo by Josh Edelson / AFP / Getty Images
Forest fires are still active
Overall, there are currently 104 active fires, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
The largest fire is in California, while Montana has the most, with 25 wildfires, the agency said.
advertising
Of growing concern is the Richard Spring fire in the North Cheyenne Indian Reservation in southeastern Montana. The fire has risen to more than 67,179 hectares, up from 149,453 the day before, according to InciWeb, the US fire information clearinghouse. Fire containment dropped to 0% on Thursday, down from 15%. the previous day. The fire is expected to merge with the nearby Lame Deer Fire, which has burned 1,571 hectares.
Authorities issued evacuation orders for the town of Lame Deer, as officials warned that the fire was affecting the small community of more than 2,000 people.
Fire crews used bulldozers and point guard measures to protect the community, according to InciWeb.
Multiple evacuation sites have been established to house the displaced.
"At this stage of the fire, we are directing our efforts toward supplying firefighters and displaced residents. The community has had a great response to residents' needs. I have launched one of the Montana Sheriff's Mutual Aid Teams and the remaining two are going to help us with supply drops, "Rosebud County Sheriff Allen Fulton said in a Facebook post Thursday.
The Richard Spring and Lame Deer fires were extremely active, with gusting winds of 40 and 56 km / h and 15-25% relative humidity, NIFC said Thursday.
Fire crews had prepared for increased activity in the west due to unbearable heat and severe drought conditions caused by climate change.
The Pacific Northwest was again under heat warnings as temperatures rose as much as 3 degrees Celsius above normal.
The Dixie fire could get stronger 1:25
The Dixie fire, the second largest in California
The Dixie fire, the second largest in California history, has charred more than half a million acres in the past month.
Fire containment on Thursday stood at 31%, one percentage point higher than the previous day, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire.
The Dixie fire has destroyed 1,045 structures, including more than 550 homes and 140 commercial buildings.
Another 69 structures have been damaged and more than 15,000 structures remain at risk.
And more fires could occur in the Northern California area because there is the potential for isolated dry thunderstorms near the Dixie fire, CNN meteorologist Robert Shackelford said.
"There is also high pressure on this area, which will not be broken until next week. So this will be a problem for the next few days," he said.
Cal Fire said a red alert would be in effect in Northern California from Friday afternoon until late at night "due to possible dry lightning strikes."
Such a warning is issued when there is "a severe fire climate, such as sustained high winds, gusts, and low humidity, combined with a high fire hazard rating," according to the NIFC.
"Fire activity remained subdued today in the Dixie fire. Warm, dry conditions will continue through the end of the week. Sporadic isolated thunderstorms occurred within the fire area today, but did not result in new fires," explained Cal Fire. .
So far, California wildfires have devastated more than 371,104 hectares, representing a dramatic 233% increase over the same period last year, making it the worst wildfire year on record in the state, according to Cal Fire.
CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller contributed to this report.
Forest fires
/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/prisa/2S37M3K3RRCEBPSIBWEYNJ2BHE.jpg)