The number of wildfires in the U.S. this year has outpaced every year since 2015. The largest fire of the year is now raging in Oregon. And unfortunately, that fire, the Cram Fire, is on the verge of crossing an important threshold to become a "megafire."
The number of acres charred from all the active large fires burning across the country has climbed to nearly a million. The Cram Fire, burning around 50 miles south of Portland, is responsible for nearly a tenth of those acres. The fire has charred 95,748 acres and is 73% contained as of Monday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. There are evacuation orders and warnings for at least three counties impacted by the massive fire.
The NIFC reports that six large wildfires are burning in Oregon, tied with California and Colorado for the most active large fires in the contiguous U.S. The fires now burning in Oregon have consumed over 102,000 acres.
The Cram Fire has already charred an area larger than Atlanta, spanning nearly 150 square miles. The fire is approaching "megafire" status, a grim milestone once considered rare but now becoming increasingly common, when wildfire consumes 100,000 acres or more.
Oregon is enduring a "devastating wildfire season that will have lasting consequences," said Oregon Governor Tina Kotek on Wednesday, per The New York Times.
"I am declaring a State of Emergency to access state resources for communities across Oregon as we respond to this year's escalating wildfire season," she added, referring to the State of Emergency that will last through the rest of 2025. "All Oregonians should follow local instructions and evacuation levels issued by emergency officials, subscribe to emergency alerts on ORAlert.gov, have an evacuation plan, prepare a go-kit, and stay aware of changing conditions."
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Wildfires are surging across the U.S. this year, with over 41,000 so far, nearly 10,000 more than average. It's the worst pace in a decade, and there seems to be no sign of slowing down. Our warming world is fueling the rise in wildfires.
The Union of Concerned Scientists has pointed to climate change as a major force behind the growing devastation of U.S. wildfires. "Every year, millions of acres of land are consumed by fire in the United States," according to the UCS. "By raising temperatures, melting snow sooner, and drying soils and forests, climate change is fueling the problem."
Since 2015, the United States has experienced, on average, roughly 100 more large wildfires every year than the year before," noted their report, first released in 2020 and updated in 2022. "This changes region by region, and year to year, but generally we're seeing more wildfires, more acres burned, and longer, more intense fire seasons.
"Wildfires started making headlines early this year, alarming wildfire management experts. Just a week into 2025, Southern California was battling major wildfires — the Palisades Fire scorched 23,000 acres and Eaton Fire nearly 14,000, making for a blistering start in Los Angeles County. The Cram Fire is more than four times as big the Palisades Fire, making it clear how concerning it is for Oregon's residents and biodiversity.
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