Quick Facts

100°+

temperatures in Salt Lake City, Utah for seven days straight

44

large wildfires are currently burning across the American West

14

years since North Texas has seen this level of ozone pollution

Hurricanes

  • Tropical Storm Claudette produced at least seven confirmed tornadoes over the weekend.
    • There were three tornadoes in Mississippi, two in Alabama, and one each in Georgia and North Carolina all on Saturday or Sunday.
      • A tornado in East Brewer, Alabama on Saturday, had top winds of 127 MPH and stayed on the ground for 22 miles.
        • At least 20 people injured, two seriously
        • The damage path was at least 650 yard wide.
    • Another storm in Florala, Alabama, measured at 80 mph and had a path that stretched 0.6 on Saturday.
    • Three small tornadoes were confirmed on the Mississippi Gulf Coast between midnight and dawn Saturday. 
      • A storm in Long Beach had winds topping 75 MPH on its 1.15-mile track.
      • A third twister east of Hurley on the Alabama state line caused minor damage to one home.
    • In southwest Georgia, a confirmed tornado stretched for 30 miles from north of Blakeley to north of Cuthbert with 100 MPH winds.
    • On Sunday, a weak tornado touched down near Somerset, North Carolina with top winds estimated at 75 mph and caused mostly tree damage along its 2.5-mile path.
    • Claudette caused strong winds ranging from 60 to 80 MPH in Pensacola, Florida, with Pensacola International Airport recording a wind gust of 81 MPH.
  • All 21 New Jersey counties were under a severe thunderstorm watch as of Monday evening as Tropical Storm Claudette passes the northeastern part of the Atlantic Ocean.
    • The thunderstorms were expected to bring heavy downpours, lightning, and wind gusts over 60 MPH.
  • A tropical wave several miles east of the Windward Islands is unlikely to develop any further as of Wednesday morning.
  • No other storms are expected to develop within 48 hours in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea or Atlantic as of Wednesday morning

Wildfires

National

  • There are currently 44 large wildfires active across AZ, CA, CO, FL, MT, NV, NM, and UT. Nationally, 519,761 acres have burned so far this year. 
  • President Joe Biden is set to meet with Western governors next week regarding heat, drought and wildfire preparations in the West.

AZ

Number Of Active Fires: 14

  • The Rafael Fire, located 16 miles southwest of Flagstaff, has burned 24,000 acres and was 0% contained as of Tuesday morning.
    • Should the fire continue to grow, officials are looking at protection for structures including the East Pocket Lookout and Turkey Butte Lookout.
  • The Telegraph Fire, near Globe, has burned 180,865 acres and was 87% contained as of Wednesday morning. 
    • Areas ordered for evacuation included Dripping Springs, Wind Spirit, Hagen Ranch, Slash S Ranch and Government Springs as of Wednesday morning.
  • The Backbone Fire, located near Strawberry has burned 32,757 acres with unknown containment as of Wednesday morning.

CA 

Number Of Active Fires: 7

  • 7 fires continued to burn in California on Tuesday. 
  • The Cow Fire in Shasta County has burned through 761 acres and was 65% contained as of Tuesday night. 
    • The cause of the fire was the ejection of hot catalytic converter parts from the exhaust system of a passing vehicle.
    • The fire has destroyed two structures as of Tuesday morning.
  • The Inyo Creek Fire in the Inyo National Forest has burned through about 410 acres and was 0% contained as of Tuesday morning. 
  • The Willow Fire in Monterey County has burned through 3,000 acres and was 0% contained as of Monday evening. 

CO

Number Of Active Fires: 5

  • In Colorado, the Sylvan Lake Fire in Sylvan Lake State Park grew to more than 3,359 acres with unknown containment by Tuesday night.
    • The fire threatens an Xcel power line and the watersheds for the towns of Eagle and Gypsum.
  • The Oil Springs Fire in Rio Blanco County burned through 7,395 acres and had unknown containment as of Tuesday evening.
  • The West Fire in Moffat County burned through 3,100 acres and had unknown containment as of Tuesday evening.
    • Lightning on Bureau of Land Management land is suspected to be the cause of the blaze.

FL

Number Of Active Fires: 1

MT

Number Of Active Fires: 4

  • The Robertson Draw Fire, near Red Lodge, grew to 29,601 acres burned and was 53% contained as of Tuesday morning.
    • All the Custer Gallatin National Forest System lands south of Point of Rocks in the Rock Creek drainage were still closed as of Tuesday morning.
  • The Deep Creek Fire, burning southwest of Helena, burned 4,648 acres and was 75% contained as of Tuesday afternoon.
    • The fire has cost more than $3.5 million so far to fight.

NV

Number Of Active Fires: 1

NM

Number Of Active Fires: 4

OR

Number Of Active Fires: 2

  • The Warm Springs Fire, located 10 miles north of Simnasho, has burned 6,200 acres and was 10% contained as of Monday night.
    • 250 structures and homes are threatened by the fire
  • The Cutoff Fire, located in Klamath County has burned 1,150 acres and was 23% contained as of Tuesday night.
    • Out of 125 structures threatened by the fire, 20 outbuildings and two homes have been destroyed as of Tuesday night.

UT

Number Of Active Fires: 6

  • Salt Lake City, UT, has banned personal fireworks and open fires due to drought extreme fire danger.
  • The Flatt Fire, located near Beryl, has burned 14,379 acres and was 57% contained as of Monday evening.
    • Evacuation orders remain in place as of Monday evening for nearby communities.
    • One structure was lost as of Monday evening.
  • The Pack Creek Fire, located south of Moab, has burned 8,952 acres and is 66% contained as of Monday evening.
    • It has cost $7.8 million so far to fight as of Tuesday evening.

Extreme Heat

  • California is using technology, including clean energy microgrids and self-generation back-up power systems, to avoid rolling blackouts and ensure power grid reliability.
  • An excessive heat watch has been issued for parts of Oregon and Washington state this weekend.
  • North Texas saw its worst day of ozone pollution in 14 years last week.
  • The Salt Lake City Airport recorded its seventh 100+ degree day on Tuesday.

New Reports and Data

  • A study published in June 2021found that climate change and urban sprawl has been driving up both the economic and human cost of wildfires in California.