The Northeast is “ripe” for an above-average wildfire season

The drought is getting worse in a large portion of the U.S.

The latest drought monitor was released just hours ago. It shows dry conditions intensified across the west, Midwest, parts of the plains, and the Carolinas soil have continued to dry.

Oregon’s dry conditions are signaling another explosive fire season with some already popping up.

Officials call the northeast region “ripe” with four times the average number of fires already this year. Those flames have scorched three times the normal number of acres.

The Forestry Department reports sixteen fire calls since the first of the month.

Arizona is also abnormally dry and declared a state of emergency yesterday. The “flag fire” has grown to 1,400 acres, with 200 homes evacuated.

In California, a brush fire outside of Los Angeles scorched hundreds of acres overnight. It led to mandatory evacuations in the Santa Clarita valley. The north fire grew by 650 acres in five hours.

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