A firefighter extinguishes hotspots along a hillside during the French fire in Mariposa, California on July 5, 2024. The wildfire shut down the main highway to Yosemite National Park as red flag fire warnings and high temperatures continue throughout the state. Josh Edelson | AFP | Getty Images Wildfires are blazing across western U.
S. and Canada, prompting thousands to evacuate, shutting down highways and fouling the air quality over several states. In the U.
S., wildfires are raging in Oregon, California and Washington, illuminating skies with bright orange flames and haze. In Oregon, the Durkee fire shut down Interstate 84 in the eastern part of the state in both directions Tuesday between Ontario and Baker City, the state's Department of Transportation said, warning: "The fire is advancing rapidly towards the highway in multiple locations in the Farewell Bend area.
" The Durkee fire, the current largest wildfire in Oregon, was discovered the morning of July 17, sparked by lightning, and has since burned through over 239,000 acres and as of Wednesday is 0% contained. Level three evacuations are in place in Baker and Malheur counties due to the Durkee and Cow Valley fires, with the whole town of Huntington, home to about 510 people, under level three evacuation, according to NBC affiliate KTVB of Boise , Idaho. An estimated 3,472 people are in the level 3 evacuation, meaning there's extreme danger and locals should leave immediately.
There's currently 115 active fires in the .