Oregon's Bootleg Wildfire: Largest US fire burns 390,000 acres

Oregon's Bootleg wildfire, currently the largest active blaze in the US, has scorched over 390,000 acres in the Lake and Klamath counties with 32 per cent containment.

Oregon's Bootleg wildfire, currently the largest active blaze in the US, has scorched over 390,000 acres in the US state's Lake and Klamath counties with 32 per cent containment. Credit: Reuters Photo

It erupted on July 4 and was one of nearly two dozen blazes sparked by lightning strikes. Credit: Reuters Photo

A Northern California wildfire crossed into Nevada, prompting new evacuations, but better weather has been helping crews battling the nation's largest blaze in southern Oregon. Credit: Reuters Photo

The Tamarack Fire south of Lake Tahoe had burned more than 68 square miles (176 square kilometers) of timber and head-high chaparral in national forest land. Credit: AFP Photo

The nation's largest wildfire, Oregon's Bootleg Fire, grew just over half the size of Rhode Island. Credit: Reuters Photo

The fire also was approaching an area burned by a previous fire on its active southeastern flank, raising hopes that lack of fuel could reduce its spread. Credit: Reuters Photo

The Alpine County blaze has destroyed at least 10 buildings, forced evacuations in several communities and had closed parts of US 395 in Nevada and California. Credit: AFP Photo

The Bootleg Fire burns through vegetation near Paisley, Oregon, US. Credit: Reuters Photo

Fire crews have had to retreat from the flames for 10 consecutive days as fireballs jump from treetop to treetop, trees explode, embers fly ahead of the fire to start new blazes and, in some cases, the inferno's heat creates its own weather of shifting winds and dry lightning. Credit: Reuters Photo

Monstrous clouds of smoke and ash have risen up to 6 miles (10 kilometers) into the sky and are visible for more than 100 air miles (161 kilometers). Credit: Reuters Photo

The Bootleg Fire burns through vegetation near Paisley, Oregon in US. Credit: Reuters Photo

The blaze, which is being fought by more than 2,200 people, is about one-third contained. Credit: Reuters Photo

At least 70 homes and more than 100 outbuildings have burned, but no one is known to have died. Credit: Reuters Photo

Extremely dry conditions and recent heat waves tied to climate change have made wildfires harder to fight. Credit: Reuters Photo

Climate change has made the West much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive. Credit: Reuters Photo