by Peter Mertz
DENVER, the United States, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Wildfires exploding across America's West sent thousands of firefighters scrambling and dismayed officials hoping the drought had ended.
Dozens of fires are being fought in 11 Western states with more than 20 big blazes, each consuming 10,000 acres (40.5 square km) and threatening homes and lives.
Arizona is the hardest hit so far this fire season with the Frye fire consuming 39,567 acres (160.1 square km) of land and the Goodwin fire causing hundreds of evacuations in the Arizona mountains near the town of Prescott.
"This is a little college town ... but we've seen some terrible wildfires," Prescott College student Eleanora Brown told Xinhua Wednesday.
Brown said the town of 40,000 had been shrouded in smoke from the fire since it began last Saturday, with the streets filled with people "packing up and getting out."
Wednesday, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey declared a state of emergency and directed 200,000 U.S. dollars in emergency funds to fire suppression efforts and reimbursements for emergency response and recovery costs.
Ducey planed to travel to Yavapai County on Thursday to inspire the 600 firefighters battling the wind-driven blaze that had burned more than 32 square miles (82.9 square km) so far.
This fire is close to a devastating tragedy that occurred in 2013. Nineteen city of Prescott firefighters were killed fighting the Yarnell Hill fire when the wind suddenly changed direction.
"That was a horrible event, so sad, so tragic," remembered Brown, a special education major.
By Wednesday, the Goodwin Fire had consumed 21,000 acres (84.9 square km) and caused the evacuations of hundreds from their homes. Only 2 percent of it was contained.
Arizona's other big blaze is in the southern part of the state near the Mexico border. The Frye Fire was only 45 percent contained by Wednesday, the forest service at Coronado National Forest said.
More than 840 personnel are battling the fire that started from lightning on June 7. The Frye Fire is about 70 miles (120 km) northeast of Tucson, the second-largest city in Arizona.
Also in Arizona the Boundary fire, the Snake Ridge fire and the Lizard fire, ravaging across 47,000 acres (190.2 square km) led officials to believe the worst is yet to come.
A heavy snowpack last winter throughout the West's mountainous regions caused a late spring and sporadic flooding, with many conservationists hoping for an end to the drought that has hit the region since 2011.
2012 was the third worst year for wildfires, with 9.2 million acres (37231.1 square km) burned, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Colorado was hit hard that year with 600 homes destroyed and several deaths blamed on the fires.
High fire danger continues throughout Colorado and the Western states. According to Denver meteorologist Ed Greene, "fire danger is very high with gusty winds and low humidity."
Wednesday night, drought-stricken California saw a dozen homes in the foothills north of Los Angeles threatened by wildfire.
Evacuation orders were issued for more than 50 homes Wednesday afternoon as flames swept through grasses and trees toward pricey hilltop homes in the Verdugo Hills area of Burbank, 20 km northwest of downtown LA.
In Utah, firefighters braced for more high winds as they tried to slow the fire that has engulfed 54,202 acres (219.3 square km), burned 13 homes, and forced the evacuation of 1,500 people from the ski resort town of Brian Head.
Firefighters in Washington State were battling three fires near Wenatchee that had grown to about 37 square miles (95 square km).
