Active Wildfire season across the USA by Steph Ball
The wildfire season is well underway across parts of the USA as wildfires are breaking out across the country. Fires have been reported in Florida, Minnesota, Michigan, North Carolina and Arizona, forcing evacuations in some areas as flames threatened residential areas.
One particular serious wildfire in southeast Georgia is now burning into its fourth week and has consumed more than a staggering 100,000 acres, or 156 square miles. On Monday almost 200 separate fires were burning across Florida, covering about 19,000 acres. Many of the fires in Florida were caused by lightning from a line of thunderstorms that spread across the state too quickly to put out the flames.
Last year, 2006, was reported to be the worst fire season in half a century as more than 96,000 fires burned nearly 10 million acres of woodland. Fire scientists expect a similar year in 2007.
With further drought conditions expected, combined with the summer heat, it is likely that many more wildfires could breakout.
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