US wildfires leave thousands displaced as communities wrecked by blazes

The United States is battling its worst wildfire season as millions of people across three states in the West remain under evacuation alerts. Thousands of homes have been torched by these wildfires as they raged through small communities destroying properties and lives. So far 24 people have been killed by wildfires since they erupted in August. Currently, there are about 100 wildfires burning in Oregon, California, and Washington. 

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Most severe in the state's history

Oregon, the hardest-hit, has battled wildfires nearly twice the size of New York City and the towns worst affected by these blazes are Detroit, Vida, Blue River, Phoenix, and Talent. This year's wildfire is the most severe in the state's history with the greatest loss to human life and property ever recorded, said, Governor Kate Brown. Some 10,000 residents have been evacuated from these towns, while another 40,000 remain under mandatory evacuation alerts in Oregon alone. 

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There are three steps that have been highlighted by the office of emergency management that people can follow to prepare themselves while following orders of evacuation by local law enforcement. Green, Yellow, and Red are the three levels of evacuation orders in the state of Oregon. Green signifies 'Get Ready', meaning prepare and monitor the situation after packing important and valuable stuff. Yellow says 'Get Set' to evacuate at a moment's notice, while Red means 'Go' leave immediately. 

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Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away in California, which has been burning for more than three weeks now, things took an aggressive turn on September 9 as winds stroked the fire spreading it across an estimated 40 kilometers stretch. This year, wildfires in California have now burned over 7,40,000 acres of forest land and have destroyed 3,900 structures so far. Much of California is currently under a Red Flag Warning for strong, gusty winds and low humidity.

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(Image Credit: AP)