The Calf Canyon Fire, fueled by the wild spring winds raging in deserted mountain forests, is by far the largest and most destructive fire currently wreaking havoc in the United States, he writes. Reuters.
A fire raging in an area about 48 miles east of Santa Fe has destroyed hundreds of properties, required the evacuation of thousands of people, and spread within walking distance of the 14,000-strong Las Vegas, New Mexico, on Saturday.
It’s already 100,000 acres. It could easily double in size, maybe even bigger,” Fire Chief Carl Schope said at a press briefing.
Firefighters believe the western United States is facing a fiery year with 80 percent of the region experiencing severe drought, according to the USDA.
According to the scenario of a global temperature increase of 2 degrees Celsius, scientists predict that by mid-century, wildfires in the western United States will burn twice as much as they are now. So far this year, US wildfires have burned at more than twice the size for the same period in 2021, and about 70% more than the 10-year average.
Cover image illustration. Source: Maranie Staab / Bloomberg via Getty Images
