Bootleg Fire – Largest Active Fire in US

By Elijah Mt. Castle

The Bootleg fire in Oregon is the largest active fire in the United States. The fire started on July 6th and has burned 232,763 acres since it started. The fire has destroyed 21 homes and 54 other structures and is threatening 1,900 others. Drought, high temperatures, and high winds have severely hampered fire suppression efforts. Multiple other fires in the region have been splitting focus as well. The Bootleg fire is only 7% contained and sitting at an area larger than New York City is threatening multiple towns in the area. The cause of the Bootleg fire is still unknown. Pictured are the VNF detections for July 6th through July 14th, 2021. Pictured with the Bootleg fire is the smaller Jack Fire. Also pictured is the Earth Observation Group’s Nighttime Lights for July 10th.

July 16, 2021