Photos: Wildfires char tens of thousands of acres in western US
Extreme heat across the western United States, combined with dry and windy conditions, led to several wildfires breaking out across the region last week.
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, there are dozens of active wildfires burning across the country, mostly concentrated in the West.
Among the country's largest active wildfires is the Brian Head Fire, singeing more than 65,000 acres of land in Utah since June 17, according to InciWeb. Crews have been working around the clock to achieve containment, but their work isn't expected to finish until mid-July.
Lightning ignited the Frye Fire on June 7 in southeastern Arizona. The blaze has since burned more than 41,000 acres and was 45 percent contained at the end of Saturday.
Crews have made more progress on the blazes in central Washington. The Sutherland Canyon Fire has 74 percent contained as of Saturday with nearly 30,000 acres charred. The nearby Spartan Fire has burned more than 8,700 acres, but is fully contained.
The resulting smoke from the wildfires has created poor air quality in nearby communities.
"Hot, sunny and calm weather alone is a recipe for poor air quality, but wildfires raging across the western U.S. have recently added to the deteriorating conditions," said AccuWeather Meterologist Faith Eherts.
"Those in areas expected to have poor air quality should limit time spent exercising outdoors, particularly those with respiratory or cardiovascular medical conditions," she said.
Dozens of fires will continue to rage across the western U.S. through Independence Day as hot, dry conditions prevail.
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U.S. Forest Service firefighter John King aids in the effort to put out a brush fire Monday, June 26, 2017, in Santa Clarita, Calif., that broke out on Sunday. Crews are cleaning up after a weekend car crash sparked a smoky fire that ripped through dry brush amid stifling heat. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
In this Tuesday, June 27, 2017 frame from video, flames and smoke rise from a fire near Mayer, Ariz. The Arizona fire forced the evacuation of Mayer along with several other mountain communities in the area. (AP Photo/Jennifer Johnson)
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