Oregon’s wildfire season was marked by two major conflagrations. Near Eugene, in the Willamette National Forest, the Bedrock Fire burst into life, quickly turning 12,200 acres into charred remains by August 3. The Forest Service reported a growth rate of about 1,000 acres per day, prompting closures of forest areas and unleashing a cloud of smoke that mantled central Oregon. Smoke wasn’t the sole concern. Air quality in some locales degraded to unhealthy levels due to smoke infiltration. Even the scars of last year’s Cedar Creek Fire, which consumed 127,000 acres, lay starkly revealed beneath the smoke’s thick veil. Meanwhile, … Continue reading Satellite Images show the Unexpected Calm of the 2023 Wildfire Season amid Rising Temperatures