Sharjah24 - AFP: With wildfires in the drought-hit western United States and Canada continuing to scorch vast areas, firefighting resources are being severely stretched, authorities said Saturday.
More than 2,100 firefighters were again struggling to contain the vast Bootleg Fire raging in southern Oregon, near the border with California. Some were forced to retreat as the fire spread amid the fourth intense heatwave of the summer.
California, hit by its own wildfires, vowed to send firefighters to help out in Oregon.
And Canada was bringing in some 100 firefighters from Mexico to bolster their exhausted counterparts in northwestern Ontario, provincial authorities announced.
The Bootleg Fire, by far the biggest active blaze in the US, is covering 274,000 acres, an area larger than New York City, and remains just seven percent controlled, according to the Inciweb website.
"The fire remains very active with significant acreage increases due to hot, dry, and breezy conditions," the official site said. It has destroyed at least 20 homes.
Authorities said the huge blaze had generated ominous "fire clouds" reaching miles in the air, able to spawn dangerous outbreaks of dry lightning and "fire tornadoes."
For an optimal experience, please
