New Heat Dome Turns Up the Heat on Western Wildfires

The weather is not doing any favors for firefighters on the ground in the western U.S. While the heat dome anchored over the eastern half of the country has collapsed, a new wave of unseasonably high temperatures is building over the western U.S. This emerging heat dome out West will exacerbate the already difficult firefighting conditions. Here is a look at the current wildfire situation in this part of the nation, as well as what Mother Nature has in store.

Update on Western Wildfires

A large swath of the western U.S. is on fire as wildfire activity surges under the rising temperatures and ongoing drought conditions. The bulk of the fire activity in recent weeks has sprung up in the Four Corners region, an area that has seen little moisture over the last several months.

The Aspen Acres Fire in Colorado is now the 8th largest in state history. According to the Monday morning update, the blaze has now burned over 91,000 acres and is just 12% contained. Nearly 1,400 personnel are on the scene working to battle the blaze.

This fire in the south-central area of the state has forced evacuations in several counties, including Pueblo, Custer, Fremont, and Huerfano. The Aspen Acres Fire was first reported on Monday, June 29. While the exact cause of the blaze is still under investigation, it is believed to have been caused by humans.

At least 150 structures have been destroyed as a result of this fire. Local officials are warning that this number is likely to climb, as the full scope of the damage is not yet known due to the inability to conduct assessments.

The Aspen Acres Fire is one of several infernos burning in the western U.S. Other active fires in Colorado include the deadly Snyder Fire raging along the Colorado-Utah border, the Golf Mountain Fire, the Ferris Fire, and the Willow Fire. Temperatures reaching the triple digits have combined with windy and dry conditions to fuel the development and spread of these fires.

The threat of wildfires put a damper on Fourth of July festivities across the region. Several communities were forced to cancel their fireworks shows because of the danger.

The smoke generated from these fires has also reduced air quality throughout much of southern and western Colorado.

Weather Forecast Not Promising for Wildfire Containment

Unfortunately, the weather forecast is not offering much hope to crews hoping to get the fires under control. A new heat dome is forecast to set up over the western third of the nation in the days ahead, sending temperatures higher as the week progresses.

The latest forecast models signal that the heat dome will strengthen across the Rockies and the Plains through the middle of the month. The end result will mean an elevated threat of wildfires and smoke in the Four Corners region, the Rockies, and the High Plains.  

It has been a relatively cool start to the month for much of the West, with temperatures running several degrees below the historical average for the first week of July in many areas. For instance, Sacramento topped out with readings in the 80s for the first few days of July. This was in stark contrast to the proliferation of triple-digit readings on many days in June.

A strong area of high pressure setting up over the western U.S. is the culprit behind the emergence of the heat dome. This setup is similar to what happened in the eastern U.S. last week. The western heat dome will first build over the Southwest this week before expanding into the Plains by the middle of the month.

The surge in temperatures will not only contribute to an increased fire danger, but it will also put strain on energy grids in areas not accustomed to this level of heat. Cities such as Denver and Salt Lake City will sizzle with temperatures forecast to hit the 90s and remain there for days.

Meteorologists are warning that the wildfire danger will remain high until the North American monsoon season kicks into high gear. This annual phenomenon typically begins by the middle of the summer, bringing increased waves of moisture to the Four Corners region and beyond.

While the monsoonal moisture will help to alleviate the dry conditions, many of the storms coming along for the ride also could ignite additional fires due to the frequent lightning strikes and gusty winds. The monsoonal activity in the early part of the season is most likely to produce dry thunderstorms. The level of moisture in these storms tends to increase as the summer progresses, helping to mitigate wildfire concerns in the Southwest just as the activity picks up in California.

We will continue to provide updates on the growing wildfire concerns as the heat dome expands across the West this week.

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