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.