A wildfire season affected by drought and a warm winter is revving up early, as multiple fires blaze across Western states.<\/p>\n
Three firefighters died on Saturday in a fire raging along the Utah-Colorado border. State and local authorities have declared emergencies. People in neighborhoods in several states have been told to evacuate or to prepare to leave their homes at any moment. Light filtering through the smoke is casting an orange glow over large parts of the region.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what we know about the fires:<\/p>\n
Where are the wildfires?<\/p>\n
Fires are burning in Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada as gusts of wind pummel a landscape full of dry fuel.<\/p>\n
Cottonwood fire: The largest blaze in Utah, the fire began near Beaver, a city in the southwestern part of the state. It has burned for about a week, destroying a ski lodge, campgrounds, homes and infrastructure and forcing evacuation orders. Gov. Spencer Cox of Utah said it appears to be the \u201cmost destructive fire in the state\u2019s history\u201d as measured by property loss. No injuries or deaths have been reported. As of Monday afternoon, the fire had consumed more than 93,000 acres, and 4 percent of it had been contained.<\/p>\n
Snyder fire: The fire, which formed over the weekend and has grown as fires merged along the Colorado-Utah border, had devoured more than 30,000 acres by Monday evening, with none of it contained. Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado declared a disaster late Saturday, activating the state\u2019s National Guard.<\/p>\n
Gold Mountain fire: The fire, which began Saturday in Ouray County, Colo., had spread to more than 8,000 acres by Monday evening. Mr. Polis declared a disaster in response to the blaze on Sunday after it grew to about 570 acres. Some residents north of the city of Ouray, including in the Panoramic Heights and Lake Lenore areas, were ordered to evacuate.<\/p>\n
Pocket fire: The Pocket fire in Arizona covered more than 15,000 acres on Tuesday, after nearly doubling in size overnight between Sunday and Monday. The blaze, which began June 19, is tearing across steep terrain north of Sedona. Some residents of areas east of the fire have received a warning telling them to be ready to evacuate at any time.<\/p>\n
Aspen Acres fire: The Aspen Acres fire in Southern Colorado began on Monday morning and now covers more than 22,000 acres, threatening parts of Custer and Pueblo Counties. The blaze has destroyed more than 150 structures, law enforcement officials said on Tuesday afternoon. Residents of areas north and south of the fire have been evacuated, including from the small town of Rye and parts of the Beulah Valley, a remote and rugged pocket of Pueblo County.<\/p>\n
For updated information on nearby fires and fire conditions, residents can use the Watch Duty app<\/a> or the National Interagency Wildfire Enterprise Geospatial Portal<\/a>.<\/p>\n Who are the firefighters who died?<\/p>\n Three firefighters died on Saturday: Emily Barker, 38, of Clinton Township, Mich.; Nick Hutcherson, 27, of Glendale, Ariz.; and Sydney Watson, 27, of Warrior, Ala.<\/p>\n They were responding to the Knowles fire in western Colorado. They were suddenly overwhelmed by flames and tried to take shelter, the U.S. Department of the Interior said in a statement on Sunday. Two additional crew members suffered burn injuries. The blaze is now part of the Snyder fire.<\/p>\n The department said on Monday that investigators were examining what happened.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is an incredibly difficult moment for the entire wildland fire community,\u201d Sarah Fisher, deputy chief of the Forest Service, said in a statement. \u201cOur heavy hearts are with the families during this unimaginable time.\u201d<\/p>\n What areas are affected by smoke?<\/p>\n Wildfire smoke can blanket cities and states far from the areas that are ablaze. Wind may disperse tiny particles of soot, ash and dust for hundreds of miles.<\/p>\n Officials have warned people in areas with unhealthy air quality<\/a> to stay indoors, if possible, with their doors and windows closed.<\/p>\n People can check air quality using the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s AirNow website<\/a> or on the PurpleAir map<\/a>, which compiles data from a network of crowdsourced sensors.<\/p>\n When will conditions improve?<\/p>\n