Wildfires in Pacific Northwest (USA) and British Columbia (Canada)

When I start to hear about wildfires on the radio and in other news outlets, then I know that they are major wildfires. That is the case with two  wildfires that I've been hearing about the last couple of days (info in urls current at the time I write this, 3:30 PM EDT on 7/21/14):

Buzzard Complex (OR) 395,747 acres, 75 percent of the perimeter is contained, caused by lightning

Carlton Complex (WA) 237,890 acres, 2 percent of the perimeter is contained, caused by lightning and other natural causes.

This is a report from the July 18th CBS evening news, I'm not sure if the evacuations referred to are still in place. You will hear about the wildfires in Washington and elsewhere out west.

direct link to video

Here is another report on the Washington wildfires from Fox News dated July 21.

Not to leave Oregon out, Oregon Live  reports on the wildfires in central Oregon in a report also dated July 21st (with photos).

Before I move on to the wildfire situation in Canada, I want to provide a brief update on the Shaniko Butte Fire that I wrote about on July 16, 2014The fire is now at 42,500 acres and 50 percent of the perimeter is contained.

At the same time that wildfires have been burning in Oregon and Washington (and elsewhere in the western USA), there have been wildfires burning in British Columbia and Northwest Territories in Canada.

Here is a video (dated July 18 and published on July 20) from Global News reporting on one of the wildfires burning in British Columbia (with some tanker and helo footage!)

direct link to video

I found a report on CTV News in Vancouver updated this morning that may be found here reporting that 2,400 of the 2,500 people who were evacuated due to the wildfire burnining near West Kelowna B.C. have been allowed to return. The CTV report also refers to a 35,000 hectare fire burning near the boarder of B.C. and Alberta.  

For more information on wildfires burning in British Columbia, the Wildfire Management Branch has a devoted webpage for Widlfires of Note along with a nice interactive map which maps wildfires that are currently burning. Here is some information on the two fires that I first read about in the CTV report:

1. The Red Deer Creek Fire: an estimated 34,827 hectares burned (or 86,060 acres), there is no containment as I write this, the fire was caused by lightning.

2. I believe but am not certain that the fire burning near West Kelowna that CTV reported on is the  Smith Creek Fire that has burning 260 hectares (642 acres) and is at 60 percent containment. Evacuation orders remain in effect.