‘Unprecedented, dangerous territory’: US north-west reckons with a summer of historic wildfires
Summary
This summer, wildfires have burned large parts of Washington and Oregon in the US Pacific Northwest. The fires destroyed many homes and acres of land, partly because hot, dry weather made conditions ideal for wildfires to spread quickly.Key Facts
- Over 2.9 million acres have burned in Washington and Oregon so far this year.
- Oregon has experienced its worst wildfire season in recorded history by burned acreage.
- Washington is currently going through its most destructive fire season ever.
- Firefighters are fighting 95 large wildfires across the US as of early August 2026.
- More than 45,800 fires have started in the US this year, with 100 new ones in a single day recently.
- Hot, dry weather and little rainfall created very dry landscapes ready to burn.
- Lightning storms and some deliberate actions caused many fires, including one near Spokane where a suspect was arrested.
- Experts link the increasing wildfires to climate change, which causes longer dry seasons and higher temperatures.
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