Oregon's Bootleg Fire Has Grown So Massive That it Creates its Own Weather

The Bootleg Fire in Oregon has grown so large that it produces its own weather as hot, dry weather continues to stoke wildfires throughout much of the United States.

More than 606 square miles of land had been burned, an area greater than Los Angeles and about half the size of Rhode Island. But, according to data from the InciWeb interagency website, it expanded to more than 388,350 acres overnight from Monday to Tuesday and is now 30 percent controlled.

Fires in Orgenon

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, at least eight major fires are burning in Oregon and at least 83 in 13 states. Wildfires have become increasingly deadly and devastating as a result of the climate issue.

"There's no doubt that climate change is unfolding right in front of our eyes," Gov. Kate Brown stated during a press conference. "A few weeks ago, we witnessed the heat dome incident. Unfortunately, its tragedy resulted in the deaths of many Oregonians. Ice storms wreaked havoc in February. Over half a million people lost power last fall, as you are well aware. We had unprecedented wildfires."

Still Under Fire Threat

According to a National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center tweet's, much of the West is still under fire threat on Tuesday, with more than 3.5 million people under red flag alerts. "Critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will be occurring shortly," according to the forecast center.

Over 337,000 people are still under excessive heat warnings, while over 650,000 more are under a heat advisory.

Dry Storms and Intermittent Rain

According to CNN meteorologist Michael Guy, temperatures in the region will continue up to 10 degrees above average for the next 48 hours. There's also a risk of dry storms, which won't bring the essential moisture to assist put out the fires.

While some intermittent rain is expected over the Intermountain West, Guy believes that "this isn't going to accomplish much in the way of battling any of the flames out West."

"Some rain may fall during afternoon storms, but it will not be enough to put out or halt the fires," he added.

Satellite Data

Smoke from fires in western Canada and the Intermountain West was seen billowing over the region in satellite photos released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Producing its Own Weather

The Bootleg Fire in Oregon is displaying "aggressive surface spread with pyrocumulus growth," according to fire authorities.

Pyrocumulus clouds occur when a wildfire's intense heat causes the air to ascend quickly, condensing and chilling any moisture on the smoke particles generated by the fire. These clouds effectively become thunderstorms in and of themselves, capable of containing lightning and powerful winds.

Smoke from fires in western Canada and the Intermountain West was seen billowing over the region in satellite photos released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Dryness conditions, according to Doug Grafe, chief of fire prevention for the Oregon Department of Forestry, are fueling the fire potential, with 90 percent of the state experiencing exceptional, extreme, or severe drought.

"For the balance of the season, the forecast continues to look above normal dry and above normal temperatures," Grafe added. "Since things aren't going back to normal anytime soon, we're in for a long, tough fire season."

Estimated Land Under Fire

He estimates that another 50,000 to 100,000 acres might burn before the fire is put out.

According to State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple, the current fire season is "historical regarding the number of resources we've deployed" and the number of times they've deployed. "We've deployed to six conflagrations thus far," she said, "and this is the earliest and most substantial deployment to far."

Damage Counts

The Bootleg Fire, which started on July 6 near the California border in the Fremont-Winema National Forest, has left nothing in its wake. But, according to Fire Public Information Officer Sarah Gracey, more than 2,000 individuals have been evacuated from their houses.

According to Gracey, 67 residences have been destroyed and 117 smaller structures such as sheds or attached garages.

For more than 13 days, the fire has expanded at a pace of about 1,100 acres per hour, which is fast enough to burn through Central Park in New York in 45 minutes.

And, according to Guy, there looks to be little chance for progress against the flames in the following days, with wind gusts of up to 25 mph anticipated.

Third Largest Fire in the State's History

In a Tuesday update, Rob Allen, an incident commander with PNW Incident Management Team 2, said, "Fighting this fire is a marathon, not a sprint." "We're in this for as long as it takes to securely contain this monster," said the group.

According to Kauffman, the Bootleg Fire is the third-largest wildfire in the state's history. The Long Draw Fire, which burnt 557,028 acres in 2012, was Oregon's biggest wildfire since 1900, according to Kauffman. The Biscuit Fire, which burned over 500,000 acres in 2002, was the state's second-largest fire.

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