As Dozens of Wildfires Burn in the West, Shortage of Jet Fuel Could Affect Firefighting Efforts

Bone-dry vegetation and record heat are already inciting dozens of intense wildfires across the western United States, and there is a possibility that shortage of jet fuel will affect aircraft important to firefighting efforts this season, industry experts reveal.

Shortage of Jet Fuel

The private airport is used as an air tanker base for the United States Forest Service. Vice president of operations for the Central Coast Jet Center in Santa Maria, California, Chris Kunkle, said he normally keeps 60,000 gallons of fuel ready, but is struggling with insufficient deliveries and is scared the fuel will get exhausted if an intense fire breaks out in the area.

Jeff Cyphers of Stockton, California-based Humboldt Pacific LCC, which provide some western states with jet fuel, said he's up against both limited fuel and drivers to dispatch it.

The source of jet fuel for most larger airports is through a pipeline, but the ones that are not large - and many that serve as tanker bases - depend on trucks. The scarcity has affected at least one of those airports already.

The Fresno Bee reported that over 20 commercial flights were redirected or delayed because of a fuel shortage at Fresno's Yosemite International Airport between the 30th of June and the 4th of Aug.

The abode to an air tanker base for both the Forest Service and the California Department of Forestry is the airport.

Here's a look at some of the remarkable wildfires that took place in the West as of Tuesday afternoon.

Oregon

Burning in the southeastern part of the state is the Bootleg Fire, and on Tuesday it became the largest wildfire in state history, as per The Oregonian. In Klamath and Lake counties It had burned over 315 square miles and was 0% contained.

Fire spokesman Daniel Omdal told the AP, "We are under extreme weather conditions. We have low humidity, the fuels are extremely flammable and all those provide conditions for notable fire activity."

About 21 homes and other minor structures have been destroyed because of the blaze.

California

California is already on pace to overcome the 2020 record fire season. As of Tuesday afternoon, eight intense fires were burning all over the state. With Beckwourth Complex close to the Nevada state line affected.

The blaze gave rise to evacuation orders for over 3,000 residents, and there were reports that the fire had destroyed several homes. The fire has burned not less than 95 square miles and was around 9% contained.

Idaho

Lightning storms with so many strikes ignited fires in north and north central Idaho, the state Department of Lands said.

Over a dozen blazes were active statewide, as per the U.S. Forest Service.

The Snake River Complex which is the largest is around 20 miles south of Lewiston. Residents in some regions close to the blaze remained under evacuation orders.

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