Contents:
We have released a new Travel article detailing Southwest's recent announcement that they are ending their longstanding open-seating policy. Check out the new article here.
On another note, wildfires are scorching the western United States, with the two largest fires alone burning over 527.000 acres.
Firefighters are finally managing to make some progress on the devastating Durkee Fire, which has burned over 288,000 acres across eastern Oregon. The fire began last Wednesday after a lightning strike and has grown to become the largest fire in the West right now. It was fueled by strong winds and dry conditions until merging with the nearby Cow Valley Fire, which is 99% contained. However, the Durkee Fire remained out-of-control until yesterday, when some localized heavy rain gave firefighters the chance to start containing the wildfire. It is currently 27% contained, which is an improvement from the 0% a few days ago, but still quickly spreading north towards the Thompson Fire, which is around 31.000 acres. Evacuation orders are in place for the surrounding area, and the evacuations for the town of Huntington, home to 500 people, have been reduced to a Level 1 - Be Ready. Three firefighters were injured and 14 structures have been destroyed. The busy Interstate 84 has also been intermittently shut down due to thick wildfire smoke that has drastically reduced visibility.
Unfortunately, firefighters are not making any progress on the Park Fire, which has scorched over 239,000 acres in northern California. The fire began on July 24 and has since spread to become the 13th largest fire ever in California and the second-largest in the West right now. A suspect has been arrested after reports came in that a man had pushed a flaming car into a gully on the same day the fire started, meaning that the cause is most likely arson. Sadly, that one incident has led to the destruction of 134 structures and hundreds of thousands of acres of land across the counties of Butte and Tehama. 1,600 firefighters are currently battling the blaze, but extremely arid, dry conditions are not helping-- the wildfire is currently 0% contained. Strong winds were also helping it spread at a rate of 4,000 to 5,000 acres per hour, as of last night, but the wind speeds have since died down.
Wildfire season in the western United States is off to a blazing start amid blistering temperatures in the middle of the hottest year on record, with at least 111 large wildfires actively burning right now. They have burned a total of over 1.8 million acres across multiple states which are all suffering from the heat.
Also, it isn't just the United States. A large wildfire in the town of Jasper, Alberta, located in the middle of Canada's Jasper National Park, is currently burning across the area, scorching 89,000 acres. Half of the town has already been burned, and many of its historic restaurants and stores have been reduced to ashes. Evacuation orders are in place, and the fire is still growing quickly. Many tourists are mourning the destruction of a town that has some of the most picturesque views in the world, but thankfully, cooler weather and some rain are expected to ease the spread and help firefighters contain the wildfire.
Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): There is a Japanese island named Okunoshima, and it is filled with rabbits that were once used for chemical testing, but now are free to roam around wherever they want.
Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): The future belongs to the competent. Get good, get better, be the best! (Brian Tracy)
Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Herald (verb)- Herald is a verb meaning "to give notice of"; it is synonymous with announce, publicize, and foreshadow. Herald may also mean "to greet especially with enthusiasm."
In a Sentence: The appearance of robins heralded the advent of spring.
Comments