Multiple wildfires continue to tear through several states across the west in an early start to fire season. The flames turned deadly with Nebraska authorities announcing a retired fire chief was killed and at least 15 others injured while battling the blaze.
Firefighters working to keep more homes from burning on the edge of a mountain town in northern Arizona were treated to scattered showers and cooler temperatures early on Friday, but the favorable weather was not expected to last as more ferocious winds were forecast to batter parts of Arizona and all of New Mexico through the weekend.
The combination of high winds, warmer temperatures and extremely dry conditions will make for an atmosphere that's "pretty much on steroids", said Scott Overpeck, with the National Weather Service in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
"This is not typical," he said, looking ahead to what could be explosive fire growth on Friday. "This is really one of those days we need to be on our toes and we need to be ready."
The weather conditions will complicate the firefight on a half-dozen large wildfires burning in the American south-west.
Gina Martinez Daily Mail Sun, 20 Mar 2022 13:30 UTC
Videos of the blaze posted to social media show the blaze form into what appears to be a 'fire tornado'
A declaration disaster was issued in 11 Texas counties as a massive wildfire that has burned down at least 50 homes and left a sheriff's deputy dead continues to spread.
Firefighters are tackling the Eastland Complex Fire, which has burned through 45,000 acres and was only around 15 percent contained as of Saturday, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service fire.
The fire started on Thursday and has quickly spread because of the dry conditions and wind gusts of more than 40 mph in large parts of the state.
On Friday, Gov. Greg Abbott declared a disaster in the counties hardest hit by wildfires after confirming that dozens of homes had been destroyed by the flames.
About 18,000 people live in Eastland County. In the town of Gorman, about 475 homes were evacuated, but officials don't yet know how many structures may have burned, Texas A&M Forest Service spokesman Matthew Ford said.
The Texas A&M Forest Services warned that fires could also affect parts of Oklahoma and Kansas, and Nebraska warned of an extreme fire risk.
Three wildfires in the Florida Panhandle have burned through more than 13,000 acres and forced evacuations of at least 1,100 homes in an area still recovering from a Category 5 hurricane three years ago.
The Bertha Swamp Road Fire is estimated at 12,000 acres and is 10% contained as of Monday morning, according to the Florida Forest Service. The fire began in Gulf County on Friday and was pushed by winds into neighboring Calhoun and Bay counties on Saturday.
A major wildfire has devasted a large area on South Korea's eastern coast
A wildfire in an eastern coastal area of South Korea has forced the evacuation of more than 6,000 people. The blaze temporarily threatened a nuclear power station, with the president issuing an alarm.
Thousands of South Korean firefighters and troops on Saturday worked to put out a large wildfire that has spread across more than 6,000 hectares (almost 15,000 acres) since breaking out on a mountain on the country's eastern coast.
The fire threatened at one stage to reach a nuclear power plant and South Korea's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) production complex, but firefighters brought the blaze under control before it reached the facilities, according to officials cited by Yonhap news agency.
Red alert for forest fire in Chilean region of Valparaiso
Large forest fires occurred in Valparaíso, Chile on March 1st 2022.
Around 200 hectares of forest have been destroyed by wild fires in the region. The fires started on February 28th, but quickly spread due to high winds and dry conditions.
Roads were closed in the vicinity of the fire as it spread. Warnings are in place due to the proximity of the fire to power cables.
Air quality has been affected, as smoke fills the sky. In local areas, ash has been seen covering streets, with fears of acid rain caused by toxins in the air.
Fire services are working to contain the fire's spread as it threatens nearby settlements, however the fire is still spreading rapidly. This situation is being monitored as it develops.
Laurence Blair, Uki Goñi Guardian Fri, 04 Mar 2022 19:39 UTC
Massive ash cloud from wildfires engulfs southern Paraguay
Smoke blown from fires in drought-striken Argentina shrouds Asunción and surrounding regions in dangerous haze
A massive, fast-moving cloud of ash hundreds of metres tall and several kilometres wide has swept over southern Paraguay, as storms blew debris from wildfires raging in neighbouring Argentina following two years of severe drought.
The colossal bank of smog enveloped Asunción, Paraguay's capital, late on Monday, shrouding the city and its suburbs in a thick, grey haze with the aroma of burnt vegetation.
Forecasters warned residents to stay inside to avoid breathing in the smoky miasma.
In the southern district of Ayolas, where fires have been blazing since early January, conditions were so dark that birds went up into the trees to roost, thinking it was night, said Ray Mendoza, a volunteer firefighter.
Almost 800,000 hectares of the province of Corrientes in northwestern Argentina has been devastated by wildfires.
According to a report by the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) released on Friday, 785,238 hectares of land had been burned due to the blazes, which represents 9% of the province's area.
According to the INTA, the fires have affected a great deal of wildlife in the country's northeast.
Many animals have been burned by flames or poisoned by smoke, while others have been run over on roads trying to escape the fires.
Firefighting teams were continuing operations to extinguish the flames.
