Photos: Wildfires char tens of thousands of acres in western US as smoke shrouds region with poor air quality

By Courtney Barrow, AccuWeather staff writer

July 1,2017, 11:34:49AM,EDT

 

Extreme heat across the western United States, combined with dry and windy conditions, led to several wildfires breaking out across the region this week.

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, there are dozens of active wildfires burning across the country, mostly concentrated in the West.
Among the country's largest active wildfires is the Brian Head Fire, singeing more than 60,000 acres of land in Utah since June 17, according to InciWeb. Crews have been working around the clock to achieve containment, but their work isn't expected to finish until mid-July.
Four separate blazes in central Washington have burned through about 50,000 acres of land, sparking evacuations in several counties.
The resulting smoke from the wildfires has created poor air quality. According to AirNow.gov, regional air quality is again forecast to reach levels Unsafe for Sensitive Groups (USG) across populated parts of California through the weekend.
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"Hot, sunny and calm weather alone is a recipe for poor air quality, but wildfires raging across the western U.S. have recently added to the deteriorating conditions," said AccuWeather Meterologist Faith Eherts.
"Those in areas expected to have poor air quality should limit time spent exercising outdoors, particularly those with respiratory or cardiovascular medical conditions," she said.
Dozens of fires will continue to rage across the western U.S. through the weekend as hot, dry conditions prevail.

U.S. Forest Service firefighter John King aids in the effort to put out a brush fire Monday, June 26, 2017, in Santa Clarita, Calif., that broke out on Sunday. Crews are cleaning up after a weekend car crash sparked a smoky fire that ripped through dry brush amid stifling heat. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

In this Tuesday, June 27,2017 frame from video, flames and smoke rise from a fire near Mayer, Ariz. The Arizona fire forced the evacuation of Mayer along with several other mountain communities in the area. (AP Photo/Jennifer Johnson)