In recent days, a devastating wave of wildfires has swept through the western United States and Canada, igniting hundreds of blazes and burning vast acres of land. As of Wednesday morning, Oregon alone is grappling with 31 large fires, while the western Canadian region is also battling numerous blazes. These catastrophic fires have forced thousands of people to evacuate and have significantly impacted air quality, even reaching as far as Denver and Chicago.

The fires, fueled by scorching temperatures and expanding drought conditions, have been intensified by record-breaking heatwaves. Temperatures exceeding 100 degrees have been observed even in southern parts of Canada, while California and other areas in the Western U.S. are experiencing the hottest 30-day stretch on record. Boise, Idaho, has endured a staggering 16 consecutive days with temperatures surpassing 99 degrees.

The sheer scale of the fires has prompted both the United States and Canada to raise their scales signaling the need for firefighting resources to Level 5 out of 5. International firefighting crews from New Zealand and Australia have been mobilized to assist in Canada. With 69 large wildfires currently burning in the United States, the situation is dire. The National Interagency Fire Center reports that many fires in the Northwest region are exhibiting extreme behavior, leading to evacuation orders on 15 fires. Evacuation orders are also in effect for fires in California, the Northern Rockies, and the Great Basin.

Oregon has been particularly hard-hit, with a state of emergency declared earlier this month due to the "risk of catastrophic wildfires." Thirty-one large fires are currently raging in the state, including the five largest in the Lower 48 states. The Durkee Fire, ignited by lightning, has rapidly consumed an astounding 240,000 acres. The nearby Cow Valley Fire has also scorched over 133,000 acres. Meteorologists and forest service officials alike express alarm at the unprecedented scale of these fires. Mark Nelsen, a meteorologist for Portland affiliate KPTV, tweeted, "Never seen 31 'large' fires burning in Oregon at once, and I've been doing this for three decades!"

In California, the Lake Fire north of Santa Barbara has burned approximately 40,000 acres but is now nearing full containment, leading to the lifting of evacuation orders. However, a smaller fire caused by fireworks in a Riverside neighborhood has resulted in the destruction of six homes.

Meanwhile, western Canada faces a similar predicament, with hundreds of fires erupting in recent days. Jasper National Park witnessed the evacuation of around 25,000 people on Tuesday, while significant fire activity has been observed across central to northern Saskatchewan. Unfortunately, the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center warns that the potential for further fires remains "high to extreme."

Not only are these wildfires wreaking havoc on the land, but they are also heavily impacting air quality. Smoke from the fires has infiltrated the Rockies, leading to air quality alerts in various regions. Denver, northern Wyoming (including Yellowstone National Park), and eastern Oregon are among the areas affected by these alerts. Western Canada is also under air quality warnings, and some smoke has even drifted as far as the Midwest. In fact, both Denver and Chicago have ranked amongst the top 10 most polluted large cities in the world since Tuesday, according to IQAir.com.

The immense magnitude of the wildfires and their disastrous consequences underscore the urgent need for resources and support. The United States and Canada must collaborate in battling these infernos, utilizing international assistance and mobilizing all available means to combat the crisis. As weather conditions conducive to fires persist, it is crucial for authorities to remain vigilant and to take proactive measures to prevent further wildfire outbreaks.