Wildfires in the USA

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Thousands ordered to evacuate as Southern California wildfire threatens homes The Sandy Fire was reported in the hills above Simi Valley, about 30 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Read more.

Why this matters: By mid-afternoon the wind-driven wildfire consumed more than 500 acres of dry brush. Evacuation orders and warnings were issued for several neighborhoods in Simi Valley, a city of more than 125,000 people. The cause is under investigation.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Photos show firefighters battling Southern California blaze   WATCH: Brush fire grows quickly   New Mexico wildfire sparked by fatal medical plane crash spreads quickly in rural area

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California wildfires

Multiple wildfires have prompted evacuation warnings for tens of thousands in Southern California. A massive blaze that officials say was "human-caused" has scorched nearly a third of Santa Rosa Island in Channel Islands National Park, threatening a fragile ecosystem that is home to dozens of rare plants and animals — including some found nowhere else on Earth. Read more.

WATCH: More than a dozen fires rage across California

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Burning up

Homes destroyed in Georgia. 600,000 acres charred in Nebraska. Evacuations near Los Angeles. Wildfire season is off to a fast start, and experts said things are likely to get worse in the coming months.

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Heat, wind and drought conditions spark wildfires in US West

Extreme heat and dry, windy conditions fueled several wildfires in the West on Sunday, including an uncontained blaze in Utah that forced the evacuation of a small town southwest of Salt Lake City.

https://apnews.com/article/wildfire-evacuations-utah-colorado-florida-red-flag-66c8471df83ccc9663b746511b7ffd17?

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3 firefighters killed in Colorado as wildfires stoked by heat, wind rage across the West

BEAVER, Utah (AP) — Blistering heat and strong winds Sunday stoked wildfires across the West after three firefighters were killed a day earlier in Colorado while battling a blaze along the state’s border with Utah.

https://apnews.com/article/western-wildfires-wind-dry-weather-a5fb3b05719d2a6b77feacffd2cbdba9?

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Fiery Fourth

Data: U.S. Drought Monitor. Map: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals The fireworks industry expects America's 250th to drive a massive boom in backyard pyrotechnics tomorrow. The surge is colliding with a heat wave that's driving up the risk of fires, Axios' Josephine Walker reports. 🔥 "It only takes one small spark landing in dry vegetation under the right conditions to start a fast-moving wildfire," Cal Fire's April Newman tells Axios. 🥵 Stunning stat: Roughly 50% of the U.S. is in a drought, according to Brian Fuchs, a climatologist at the National Drought Mitigation Center. Colorado Springs issued a citywide burn ban earlier this week — then canceled all fireworks displays, even professional ones, citing "extreme fire danger." Utah Gov. Spencer Cox suspended a state law that prevented blanket firework bans, leaving a patchwork of restrictions across the state. A firefighting plane drops fire retardant over the Aspen Acres fire in Colorado. Photo: Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images 🚨 Massive blazes have ripped through parts of Utah and Colorado, forcing evacuations, Axios' Herb Scribner and Rebecca Falconer report. Fire danger is elevated nationwide, with firefighters working to contain more than 40 large fires. The National Fireworks Association predicts the semiquincentennial will ignite a 20% to 25% surge in some areas. "People look like they're going to be showing their patriotism," NFA's Ed Vasel says. Go deeper ... More on the fire threat.

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🔥 Smoke season

The HRRR model's near-surface smoke predictions through later this week. Image: NOAA Air quality across the Midwest and Northeast is plummeting as wildfire smoke from Minnesota and Canada is pushed eastward and falls to ground level. That's alongside a continuing "heat dome," causing a dangerous combination of high temperatures and poor air quality for millions. ☀️ Thick smoke could actually suppress temperatures by blocking sunlight. Yet smoky air brings its own health risks, especially for sensitive groups. 🚒 Dan Westervelt, associate professor at Columbia University's Climate School, tells AP that severe drought conditions combined with heat in Canada and the U.S. have created "a perfect storm for really dry conditions to provide a lot of fuel for these wildfires to burn." Researchers have found that climate change made past major wildfires both more intense and more likely. Go deeper.

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🔥 Summer is now smoke season

Smoke from Canadian wildfires causes hazy conditions in Manhattan yesterday. Photo: Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images The wildfire smoke drifting into the eyes, throats and lungs of millions of Americans and Canadians this week is a stark reminder that the planet is changing in unsettling ways, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick writes. The smoke, from wildfires raging in northern Minnesota and Canada, is causing dangerously bad air across the Midwest and Northeast — and could soon waft elsewhere. Air quality alerts have been issued in New York, Chicago, Toronto and more, with officials urging folks to stay inside. 🌎 It's too early to tie these wildfires directly to climate change. But researchers have shown that human-caused climate change is making wildfires both more likely and more intense. Forecasts show a break in the smoke tomorrow. Haze builds back by Sunday. Data: NOAA's Global Systems Laboratory One headline finding from a Climate Central report last year: "Per-person exposure to harmful wildfire smoke in the U.S. was four times higher during 2020-2024, on average each year, than during 2006-2019." The fires themselves have also destroyed homes and devastated local tourism. 😶‍🌫️ The big picture: Massive smoke events like this have happened before — most notably in 2023. They may get more common as North America's forests keep drying up, creating ideal conditions for megafires sparked by lightning and other causes. The bottom line: Americans out West have long understood "fire season." We all need to start thinking about "smoke season."

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😶‍🌫️ Our smoky days

Data: NOAA/NESDIS Hazard Mapping System. Chart: Danielle Alberti/Axios Hazy, polluted summer days, like Americans across the Midwest and Northeast continue to deal with this weekend, are rapidly becoming the new normal. The eastern half of the country has seen a steady increase in smoky days, with nearly half of 2023 recording at least light smoke. The latest: President Trump is threatening to raise tariffs on Canada over the wildfire smoke that's drifted into the U.S., saying the "cost of this pollution must of necessity be added to the TARIFFS Canada is currently paying." Go deeper.

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Oregon fire looms near town as fourth firefighter dies weeks after Colorado blaze

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — As dry, windy weather fueled a big wildfire near a city in central Oregon, a fourth firefighter died after he and several colleagues last month were overcome by a fast-moving wildfire near the Colorado-Utah border, authorities said Saturday.

https://apnews.com/article/wildland-firefighters-death-colorado-utah-41f7f9576a4b65a58709ca7807233a33?

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Washington state fires

Hundreds of homes and other structures have been destroyed as firefighters battle three major wildfires in Spokane County, Washington. No injuries or deaths have been confirmed, though officials say it will take time to assess the full extent of the damage. More than 60,000 people have been evacuated, and the fires have scorched over 7,000 acres with zero containment since igniting Saturday. Today, firefighters are expected to get their best weather conditions in days, offering a chance to slow the flames and make progress. Fires in Washington state have burned 600 structures and forced 60,000 evacuations The fires in and around Spokane, the state’s second-largest city, burned about 8.2 square miles over the weekend. Read more. What to know: These blazes were among dozens of wildfires across the Western U.S. that stretched the ability of federal, state and local agencies to fight them. Meanwhile, crews were fighting a fire that has burned nearly 525 square miles in western Idaho and eastern Oregon.  RELATED COVERAGE ➤ WATCH: Spokane mayor says federal resources deployed How to protect yourself from the bad air caused by wildfires WATCH: Washington governor says he talked to Trump about wildfires Photos of wildfires in the US and Europe Water-dropping aircraft take off to tackle major Greek wildfire, after 2 killed in crash

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Authorities arrest arson suspect in connection with one of the devastating Spokane wildfires

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Authorities on Monday arrested a 37-year-old man they suspect of starting one of the devastating wildfires tearing through eastern Washington state as many residents were left wondering if their homes had survived.

https://apnews.com/article/wildfire-spokane-washington-evacuate-8e42b37783bda01e7d004d71e546458e?

Utility’s idle transmission tower caused 2025 Eaton fire that killed 19, Los Angeles officials say

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sparks from an idle transmission tower owned by Southern California Edison caused the 2025 Eaton fire in the Los Angeles area that killed 19 people and destroyed more than 9,400 homes and businesses, Los Angeles County fire officials said in a report released Tuesday.

https://apnews.com/article/california-eaton-wildfire-edison-equipment-34a688a6c362eb59bde3d68e2da66912?

Arson arrest

A man is in custody after being accused of deliberately starting one of three major wildfires in Spokane County, Washington. The fires have burned out of control since Saturday, consuming more than 8,000 acres with 0% containment, officials said. More than 700 structures have been destroyed, and nearly 65,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes. Speaking with CNN on Monday, Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson said the arson arrest only deepens the "absolute anguish" of those who have lost their homes to the flames.

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Firefighters get a handle on Spokane wildfires as tens of thousands remain evacuated Firefighters have taken advantage of cooler weather to try to take control of the wildfire in Washington state’s second-largest city. But hotter, drier and breezier days lie ahead. Read more.

What to know: The fires — one of which authorities say was deliberately set by a man who was arrested and charged with arson — have destroyed about 850 buildings and forced the evacuation of around 67,000 people since they erupted last weekend. Damage assessment crews have yet to tally exactly how many houses have been lost or damaged. No deaths have been reported.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Wildfire tracker WATCH: Thick smoke clouds rise above mountains Man charged with setting Spokane’s largest wildfire was questioned about 2 other blazes last year Wildfire near Athens leaves rescuers scrambling to reunite hundreds of animals Rising temperatures could keep more flights from taking off on time Where extreme heat is having the biggest impact on Americans’ lives, according to a new AP-NORC poll

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🌡️ Wildfire anxiety rising

Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photos: Getty Images

SEATTLE — Wildfire smoke blanketing this coastal city and much of the West is an ominous reminder that the reach of destructive fires is growing, Axios' Amy Harder writes. Why it matters: Climate scientists study how global warming increases the odds of wildfire. People living through it are confronting a more immediate question: Where is truly safe anymore? Wildfires intensified by climate change are like an unforgiving spotlight sweeping across the world. No one really knows where it will stop next. Right now, that spotlight is on Spokane, Wash., where a historic wildfire has destroyed neighborhoods and remains uncontrolled. Keep reading.

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Western wildfires

The alleged arsonist accused of starting the first of three devastating wildfires in Washington state admitted to igniting that blaze and more than two dozen other fires since last year. He faces five counts of first-degree arson. Meanwhile, crews are bracing for strong winds and soaring temperatures that could worsen conditions this weekend. This comes as dozens of fires burn across the West, deteriorating the air quality for millions. Washington and Oregon are also experiencing their worst fire seasons in more than 30 years, fueled in part by human-caused climate change.

📊 USAFacts: See how much land wildfires burn across the US   Editor's note: CNN has partnered with the not-for-profit USAFacts to share government data and insights that we believe are relevant to our audience.

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Western wildfires

Firefighters across the Pacific Northwest are heading into another week of battling dangerous wildfires that have killed at least four people and destroyed hundreds of homes. Crews near Spokane, Washington, are making progress on three fires that have burned more than 10,000 acres, while a suspect accused of setting one of the blazes remains in custody. Farther north, more than 20,000 people were recently ordered to leave their homes in western Canada as a fast-moving wildfire raced toward towns along British Columbia's Okanagan Lake.

The Bald Range wildfire burns in Summerland, British Columbia, on Saturday. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press/AP)

MEANWHILE: Western Europe breaks temperature record in summer plagued by heatwaves and wildfires Wildfires burn across western US and Canada as residents are evacuated Wildfires burning across the western U.S. and Canada on Sunday left some residents keeping a wary eye out for possible evacuation orders while others already forced to flee their homes waited to see what would be left on their return. Read more. What to know: In the U.S., crews in Washington that have been fighting three wildfires that have been burning in the Spokane area for over a week continued cleanup near containment lines. Earlier in the week, a man was arrested and charged with intentionally setting the biggest of the three Spokane-area blazes. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Wildfire tracker WATCH: Wildfires force 20,000 to flee as British Columbia declares state of emergency Western Europe sets new temperature record as heat waves pummel the region

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🚁 Fighting fires from above

A helicopter battles a wildfire in Simi Valley, Calif., in May. Photo: Hans Gutknecht/L.A. Daily News via Getty Images Aerial firefighters are responding to this year's busy, unpredictable and deadly wildfire season with more missions, more aircraft and new tech, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick writes. Fighting fires from above is uniquely dangerous, with pilots flying low over often-rugged terrain and through smoky, low-visibility conditions. Sam Davis, CEO of aerial firefighting company Bridger Aerospace, tells Axios that several factors contribute to tougher wildfire seasons: hotter temperatures, dry forests with wildfire fuel, and more people moving into wildfire-prone areas. Bridger is developing AI-powered fire modeling tech designed to predict a wildfire's next move, Davis says. Read on.

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Fast-moving wildfire amid shifting winds threatens Reno, Nevada, forcing thousands to evacuate

An out-of-control wildfire that jumped over fire trucks and made it difficult for crews to reach hot spots destroyed homes in northwest Reno, Nevada, on Sunday. Shifting winds challenged firefighters trying to bring it under control, and authorities urged some 90,000 people to evacuate.

https://apnews.com/article/hawk-fire-reno-nevada-evacuations-aae2f4b77e2d4aa5678b365a2ee377e6?