US West Covered in Wildfire Smoke, Damage Increasing... "28 Dead"

Damage Concentrated in California and Oregon
19% of South Korea's Land Area Burned

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] The large wildfires that broke out in three states along the U.S. West Coast, including California, are spreading further, with the death toll rising to 28, AP News reported on the 12th (local time). As smoke from the massive wildfires blankets the region, firefighting and search operations for missing persons are delayed, and the number of casualties is expected to increase.

According to reports, the large wildfires that simultaneously occurred in California, Oregon, and Washington have resulted in 28 deaths since early August, with the number expected to rise rapidly. Most fatalities have occurred in California and Oregon.

According to the U.S. National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), as of this date, about 100 large wildfires are ongoing in the western U.S., including Idaho and Montana. The affected area covers 19,125 km², which is about 19% of South Korea’s land area. In California, 28 fires are currently burning, including three major wildfires ranked 1st, 3rd, and 4th in the state’s history in terms of damage scale, all occurring simultaneously.

Not only is firefighting proving difficult, but the resulting smoke is covering the atmosphere, harming health. The air quality index in Salem, the capital of Oregon, reached 512, exceeding normal levels. Laura Clime, spokesperson for Oregon’s Air Quality Department, explained, "Surpassing 500 literally means going off the charts."

California Governor Gavin Newsom said, "California is in the midst of an existential climate crisis," adding, "It was only two years ago in this area (Paradise) that we witnessed the deadliest wildfire in our history, and now another wildfire is just a few miles away." Fire authorities have stated that it may take a long time to contain the current wildfires.

As the wildfire situation continues in the three western states, U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit California on the 14th to receive a briefing on the wildfires, the White House announced. Earlier, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and others in the Democratic camp emphasized that the wildfires are due to global warming and stressed the need for action for the future.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.