‘Exceptionally difficult’: grueling wildfires test the resolve of US crews

A firefighter works to extinguish a spot fire from the Park Fire near Mill Creek, California, on 7 August. Photograph: Fred Greaves/Reuters

It’s still early in the wildfire season for the American west, but it’s already shaping up to be a tough and, in some cases, record-breaking year.

Oregon has seen more fire than any year on record, with almost 1.5m acres (607,028 hectares) scorched in recent weeks as huge wildfires, primarily caused by lightning strikes, have exploded across the region. Nearly 70 major fires are burning across the US this week alone, primarily in Oregon, Idaho, Washington and California, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC).