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The West Coast of the US is in dire straits. Fires are ravaging California, Oregon, and Washington, destroying everything in their path.

The views there look straight-up Apocalyptic because of the red, orange, and brown sky. Meanwhile, people are saying that the Bay Area in California looks like Mars. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think the photos were something right out of a horror or a sci-fi movie. Unfortunately, it’s reality and 2020 still isn’t pulling any punches.

Jessica Gardetto from the US Bureau of Land Management told Bored Panda that evacuation orders are no joke and that civilians should evacuate when told to do so. "Evacuations are serious and are done for the safety of the public and emergency responders." Read on more the rest of our interview with Gardetto about what the public can do to help.

#3

West-Coast-Oregon-California-Washington-Wildfires-Apocalypse

Oregon wildfires making it look straight apocalyptic

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Gardetto from the Bureau of Land Management said wildfires caused by humans comprise around 87 percent of all wildfires throughout the US. "If the public can prevent new wildfire ignitions, it will really help firefighters and emergency responders. Also, if people live in fire-prone, Wildland Urban Interface areas, where wildfire could threaten their homes, they should make their homes resistant to wildfire. This will greatly improve the odds that homes can survive a wildfire and, in some cases, will give emergency responders a chance at saving more homes."

Bored Panda wanted to find out how the intensity of the fires in California, Oregon, and Washington compared to this time last year. According to Gardetto, 2019 was a quiet fire year when compared to both 2020 and 2018. "This is due to the fact that last year, weather conditions supported less wildfire ignitions and less fire growth, whereas this year, drought, hot and dry weather, winds and lighting are creating new wildfires and exacerbating current incidents."

She added: "Reducing human-caused wildfires is the absolute best thing the public can do right now! Visit www.nifc.gov to learn more about how you can avoid causing a wildfire."

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#4

West-Coast-Oregon-California-Washington-Wildfires-Apocalypse

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Katy McMouse
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Simply put - because our whole country is figuratively on fire. Unfortunately, you poor people are just another casualty on a very long list of casualties.

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#5

West-Coast-Oregon-California-Washington-Wildfires-Apocalypse

California skies. A month until my due date and my world is red

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Katy McMouse
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In one month, skies will be blue, again, for you (even if it's only in your mind). Congrats and best of luck.

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#6

West-Coast-Oregon-California-Washington-Wildfires-Apocalypse

GeorgeBaileyDog Report

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KT
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Good grief, most fires have been started by stupid people doing stupid sh*t. Take the dumb asses in Cali who started a horrendous fire with their stupid gender party smoke machine

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AflyingSquirrel
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

??? I don't see how those (gender and fire) are related why they do that???

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Heather Hayllar
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We are dreading the fire season starting here in Australia this coming summer! Hasn't the world had enough? Climate Change is REAL people

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Sharon Miller
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No, these fires are the result of poor environmental practices: not allowing the cutting of dead or sick trees, not clearing up the scrub brush on the forest floors, etc. And then of course there are the people who purposely or accidently start fires. Very stupid.

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Osprey
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Bad forestry practices is the cause. If they would clear the underbrush and use better forestry management and take lighters away from Gender revile parties.

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Amanda Schaffer
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

@postbordem yes. Selective thinning a logging term, it removes underbrush and trees, allowing others to grow. Our forests are dense, and without logging, yes. Clearcuts too. We have no break in the fires, it’s thousands of acres up in smoke. They referenced the thinning and logging after AU burned. This had long been established on the west coast until the political elite decided otherwise.

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qwerty
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

See, what you call "selective forest thinning" is a natural process. As far as natural history goes, there are small wildfires which clear the dangerous underbrush. It also clears dried, dead trees. When humans "selectively thin" forests, they cut down strong, healthy trees that animals use for shelter and breeding. These fires are caused by climate change.

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Amanda Schaffer
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hi. Oregonian here. These are set fires, the arson is confirmed on at least a dozen. Check out the satellite image.. the spread and size? this is ALL due to our over reaching government not allowing us to maintain, log, and thin our forests.

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Katy McMouse
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Completely agree. "Wild" infers a natural environmental progression, such as necessary fires that promote new growth, whereas there is nothing natural about this.

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izraul hidashi
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes...climate fires. So many places on Earth are hotter than west coast, and they're all on fire. : /

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Bruce Kunde
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

at least the governor finally admitted that thinning the dead wood and other maintenance would have helped

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Meredith Bauerkemper
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No - actually many of them are ARSON. And the fires are not burning out of control because of “climate” - they are burning out of control because the government of California has made it illegal to clear underbrush and conduct controlled burns. Nature needs fire and we have a choice - utilize the superior brains we have and live with nature through controlled burns and keeping fire lines clear or we can let it wreak havoc on us in the name of “saving the environment”.

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Richard Lassen
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It is the result of 40 years of poor forest management. The Serra Club is responsible for not allowing trees to be cut.

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qwerty
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Couple of things. 1. Wildfires are a natural way of "renewing" the forest. For the most part, it burns down old wood and makes room for new growth. The biggest threat posed by these fires to wildlife is smoke inhalation. 2. Cutting down trees is commonly known as "habitat destruction". This poses a tremendous threat to wildlife in that there is no safe place to breed and raise their young. Humans cut down strong trees, whereas natural wildfires burn down useless, weak trees. 3. The wildfires we are seeing are not natural. They are caused by a crazy climate and global warming, which is caused by humans. Therefore,humans are responsible for most of the immense damage done to forests and wildlife.

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According to CNN meteorologist Judson Jones, the reason why the West Coast looks Apocalyptic is because of all the smoke and ash which “are acting like nature’s version of an Instagram filter.”

Jones said, “The particles in the air are refracting sunlight similar to the way small air particles do when the sun sets or rises." What this means is simple: the particles in the air scatter blue and green wavelengths (which are shorter), meaning we can only see red and yellow wavelengths (which are longer and pass through the particles).

The hot, dry weather, and strong winds are turning the West Coast into a tinderbox. Lightning strikes have also added to the overall problems in the area. As have accidents. One such case has been on many a person's lips recently.

#7

West-Coast-Oregon-California-Washington-Wildfires-Apocalypse

Tried going to visit my boyfriend on my day off, had to turn around because the fires apparently opened a portal to hell

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#8

West-Coast-Oregon-California-Washington-Wildfires-Apocalypse

9 AM at the Oregon Coast due to wildfires 100s of miles away

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#9

West-Coast-Oregon-California-Washington-Wildfires-Apocalypse

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The El Dorado Fire in California’s San Bernardino County that was sparked by a pyrotechnic device at a gender reveal party had grown to 10,574 acres and counting. It was 16% contained on Tuesday, September 8, according to CNN.

The BBC reports that over 2 million acres of land have burned in California. During this time last year, ‘only’ 118k acres were destroyed by fires. The Telegraph puts the current amount of land torched by the fires in California right now at 2.5 million acres.

Meanwhile, Oregon Governor Kate Brown says that hundreds of homes in the state have been obliterated by the wildfires. “This could be the greatest loss of human lives and property due to wildfire in our state's history," she warned, adding that the winds are fuelling the fires and pushing them toward towns and cities. Mass evacuations are underway.

#10

West-Coast-Oregon-California-Washington-Wildfires-Apocalypse

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PjandBolt
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That Witch head gave me nightmares for YEARS!! For those of you that aren't from Oregon or haven't been to the enchanted forest, the witch head is a little walkthrough thingy and there's creepy witch animatronics that talk and make potions. Idk if that's accurate because I haven't been there in years but it's a memory that has been burned into my brain forever

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#22

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elfin
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I live in northern California. I always bring my pets in before dark. The other day I did it at about 3:00 PM because it was getting really dark.

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#23

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qwerty
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Over here in SoCal, the moon is looking like this every night. From just a view fires in SanFran. I hope that they are safe, and that their homes are safe as well.

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#24

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Fernleaf6505
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In Singapore, he have haze sometimes, but not as serious as this. The haze clears after a few weeks, but this will definitely take months, if not years.

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#25

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Irish Rose
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My husband n daughter work in Albany at Clayton. They have to work in this!!

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#26

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LostCod3r Report

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SandraG
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Please stay safe... and don’t go outside unless it’s ABSOLUTELY nessesary

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#28

West-Coast-Oregon-California-Washington-Wildfires-Apocalypse

Oregon Cascades today. Orange smoke, 70 mile and hour winds, debris and branches all over the road. Keep the fire fighters in your thoughts

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#29

West-Coast-Oregon-California-Washington-Wildfires-Apocalypse

8 am and surrounded by 4 fires in the area. 2020 is holding nothing back

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Jaded Queen
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well it could be worse. We could be in a zombie apocalypse. Here to hopin huh

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#32

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William Secoske
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Human race: Nooooo! you can't do any super disasters 2020: haha yellowstone go boom.

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#33

West-Coast-Oregon-California-Washington-Wildfires-Apocalypse

Oregon fires have moved so much ash into Northern California that the sky is almost red

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#39

West-Coast-Oregon-California-Washington-Wildfires-Apocalypse

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#40

West-Coast-Oregon-California-Washington-Wildfires-Apocalypse

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Note: this post originally had 61 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.

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