More than 100 large wildfires in U.S. as new blazes erupt
Aug 11 (Reuters) – Six large new wildfires erupted in the United States, pushing the number of major active blazes nationwide to over 100, with more expected to break out sparked by lightning strikes on bone-dry terrain, authorities said on Saturday.
More than 30,000 personnel, including firefighters from across the United States and nearly 140 from Australia and New Zealand, were battling the blazes that have consumed more than 1.6 million acres (648,000 hectares), according to the National Interagency Coordination Center.
“We are expecting that there will be more fire-starts today,” Jeremy Grams, lead forecaster with the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center in Oklahoma, said in an interview on Saturday.
Several fires burning in Glacier National Park
(GREAT FALLS) Officials in Glacier National Park and interagency firefighters are responding to several fire starts following lightning activity on Saturday night.
Three known fires have started, according to a press release from Glacier National Park.
The Heavens Sake Fire, below Heavens Peak, is visible from the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Rappellers are on order to take suppression action on that fire.
Smoke-jumpers have been ordered for a fire near Numa Ridge because there is a suitable location for the jumpers to respond.
A fire on Howe Ridge burned actively throughout the night. Visitors will likely see CL-215s (super scoopers) scooping water out of Lake McDonald to fight that fire. Ground resources are also hiking in.