July 9, 2025 | 16:59 GMT +7

  • Click to copy
Tuesday- 08:56, 13/07/2021

Wildfires rage in California and Oregon amid scorching heatwave

(VAN) Firefighters working in searing heat are struggling to contain the largest wildfire in California so far this year.
Fires broke out along a high voltage power corridor connecting Oregon’s power grid with California’s. Photo: AP

Fires broke out along a high voltage power corridor connecting Oregon’s power grid with California’s. Photo: AP

Firefighters are working in extreme heat across the western United States to contain surging wildfires, the largest of which are burning in California and Oregon, as another heatwave strains power grids across the region.

The largest wildfire of the year in California– dubbed the Beckwourth Complex – has been raging in the eastern part of the state along the Nevada state line, burning about 348 square kilometres (134 square miles) to date.

State regulators have asked consumers to voluntarily “conserve as much electricity as possible” starting on Monday afternoon to avoid any outages as a result of the blaze.

The wildfires come as the west of the country is in the midst of a second extreme heatwave within just a few weeks and as the entire region is suffering from one of the worst droughts in recent history.

Experts have pointed to climate change as worsening extreme weather events such as wildfires – and causing them to break out earlier in the season – and some are urging US President Joe Biden to enact long-term policy changes to try to mitigate future blazes.

In Oregon, the Bootleg Fire exploded to 580 square kilometres (224 square miles) as it raced through heavy timber in the Fremont-Winema National Forest, near the Klamath County town of Sprague River.

The fire disrupted service on three transmission lines providing up to 5,500 megawatts of electricity to neighbouring California.

Conditions at the blaze were so severe that the 926 firefighters working the lines were forced in some cases to “disengage and move to predetermined safety zones”, managers said. No fatalities had been reported.

The flames were burning along a high voltage power corridor connecting Oregon’s power grid with California’s, worrying officials in both states that electricity could be knocked out to thousands of homes and businesses.

The blazes come as the west of the country is in the midst of a second extreme heatwave within just a few weeks. Photo: AP 

The blazes come as the west of the country is in the midst of a second extreme heatwave within just a few weeks. Photo: AP 

Residents in hundreds of homes were already under mandatory evacuation orders and the Klamath County Sheriffs’ Department said it would make arrests if necessary to keep people out of those areas.

Residents in other parts of southern Oregon were under “Go now” orders on Sunday, while still more were told to “get set”.

Meanwhile, a wildfire in southeast Washington grew to almost 155 square kilometres (60 square miles), while Idaho Governor Brad Little has mobilised the National Guard to help fight fires sparked after lightning storms swept across the drought-stricken region.

On Sunday, firefighters working in temperatures that topped 38 Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) were able to gain some ground on the Beckwourth Complex in California, doubling containment to 20 percent.

Late Saturday, flames jumped US Route 395, a key north-south roadway that was closed near the small town of Doyle in California’s northeast Lassen County. The lanes reopened on Sunday, and officials urged motorists to use caution and keep moving in areas where flames were still active.

“Do not stop and take pictures,” said the fire’s Operations Section Chief Jake Cagle. “You are going to impede our operations if you stop and look at what’s going on.”

A new fire broke out Sunday afternoon in the Sierra Nevada south of Yosemite National Park and by evening covered more than 15.5 square kilometres (6 square miles), triggering evacuations in areas of two counties.

Containment was just 5 percent but the highway leading to the southern entrance of the park remained open early on Monday.

Tr.D

(Aljazeera; AP)

Illegal loggers profit from Brazil’s carbon credit projects

Illegal loggers profit from Brazil’s carbon credit projects

(VAN) How a system designed to protect the world’s biggest rainforest is funding businesses with a track record of illegal deforestation.

Cage-free countdown: UK retailers face 2025 deadline

Cage-free countdown: UK retailers face 2025 deadline

(VAN) Pressure is growing on companies to adopt the cage-free commitment for their egg supplies. Many food companies said their eggs would be from cage-free systems by the end of this year (2025).

Droughts worldwide pushing tens of millions towards starvation

Droughts worldwide pushing tens of millions towards starvation

(VAN) Water shortages hitting crops, energy and health as crisis gathers pace amid climate breakdown.

Green Climate Fund approves a record $300 million for FAO-designed projects in Papua New Guinea, Saint Lucia and the Sahel

Green Climate Fund approves a record $300 million for FAO-designed projects in Papua New Guinea, Saint Lucia and the Sahel

(VAN) The initiatives focus on forestry management, fisheries transformation and land restoration.

FAO urges collective action for food security, climate and development challenges in Africa.

FAO urges collective action for food security, climate and development challenges in Africa.

(VAN) Director-General QU Dongyu addresses the 6th AU-EU Agriculture Ministerial Conference.

Science meets soil: High-tech solutions elevate China's agricultural development

Science meets soil: High-tech solutions elevate China's agricultural development

(VAN) In the suburbs of Beijing, there is an agricultural center spanning over 150 hectares dedicated to research, demonstration, and application of high-tech and precision agriculture.

Plant-derived fertilizer additive boosts yields and cuts emissions

Plant-derived fertilizer additive boosts yields and cuts emissions

(VAN) Researchers from the Institute of Applied Ecology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a new environmentally friendly fertilizer additive that significantly enhances crop yields while reducing emissions of harmful gases.

Read more