(CNN) — The American West is battling a persistent wildfire season, with the Pacific Northwest bearing the brunt as dozens of massive blazes rage in Oregon and Washington, forcing residents from their homes and shutting down major roadways.
At least 29,000 firefighters were battling more than 100 uncontained large fires nationwide on Monday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Seven new blazes erupted on Sunday alone, adding to the strain.
This year’s fire season is shaping up to be quite destructive. Wildfires have already scorched more than 5.1 million acres across the country — at least a million acres more than the 10-year average for this time of year, the agency said.
With nearly half of the nation’s active large fires concentrated in Oregon and Washington, CNN is tracking the latest in maps, charts and satellite imagery.
The fires in the Pacific Northwest have blanketed the region with smoke, pushing the air quality index to unhealthy levels across Washington, especially for residents who are sensitive to particulate pollution.
More than 30 cities in the region had air quality readings in the very unhealthy or unhealthy range as of Monday afternoon, according to AirNow.gov.
This map shows how the smoke is expected to spread over the next day:
Aerial images captured by Nearmap show the Old Trails Fire sweeping through neighborhoods in Spokane County on Saturday afternoon. Captured around seven hours after the fire began, they show hundreds of burned homes and firefighters trying to halt the spread of the blaze.
Officials have said more than 700 buildings were destroyed. The photos, which were taken during the blaze, do not capture the full scale of the destruction. Additional photos from June show the neighborhoods before the fire rushed through them.
Through heavy plumes of smoke, the fire can be seen spreading from house to house, leaving entire blocks burning. In spite of the blaze, green leaves can still be seen on many of the trees. The ground below them, where the fire quickly spread through grass and small vegetation, is charred black.
In some areas, bright red lines of fire retardant, dropped from planes, separate burned homes from homes that survived the fire. Elsewhere, fire can be seen jumping the lines, carried by high winds.
Amid the blaze, firefighters can be seen working to try to protect remaining homes. In a photo of West Pine Cliff Court, burned homes surround one still standing, as a firefighter sprays down the walls and roof facing the engulfed house next door.
The-CNN-Wire
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