California-Nevada wildfire 0% contained 70,000 acres and created dangerous ‘fire vortices’

A 70,000-acre wildfire that started in California’s Mojave National Preserve has crossed the border into Nevada and remained under 0 percent firefighter control as of Monday.

Rescuers are now faced with dangerous ‘fire vortices’, which are tornado-like columns of fire resulting from intense heat and high winds.

The blaze swept across the delicate ecosystem of the Mojave Desert on Sunday, where animals and plants are vulnerable to wildfires. By Monday, the fire had been mapped to cover about 120 square miles.

Irregular winds ravage what is called the York firecomplicate efforts to fight the fire.

Another flamefighter tries to contain the blaze that has overtaken more than 70,000 acres in California and Nevada in the Mojave Desert

Air and ground personnel are supported by the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, and the Clark County Fire Department.

There are reportedly more than 200 personnel fighting the flames.

The fire vortices have the “potential to spread embers over long distances and can start new fires ahead of the main fire front.” Additional fire vortices can change direction suddenly, making them unpredictable and difficult to anticipate,” said a federal official.

Rain and thunderstorms in the area of ​​the fire are driving the high winds that are driving the fire vortices, and the difficult conditions are not expected to abate in the coming days.

Fire whirls can also change direction suddenly, making them unpredictable and hard to anticipate.

Winds are currently blowing at 20-30 miles per hour and the increasing humidity in the air could lead to more thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service.

Despite the nonexistent containment of the fire in York, officials say they have no plans to issue evacuation orders for the relatively nearby residential areas.

“The fire… will continue to be some distance from these areas,” Clark County officials tweeted Sunday night, though the county fire department remains in close contact with partner agencies that can help coordinate an evacuation, should the time come.

Some flights to Vegas have been delayed or canceled due to smoke and haze from the fire in the area, causing poor visibility. The Vegas airport is completely closed to smaller private jets until conditions are safe for those flights to land.

Monday afternoon there was a ground delay of 73 minutes due to poor visibility.

Air conditions in the area have been deemed “unhealthy” by the National Weather Service.

Flames rise from the York Fire on Ivanpah Road on Sunday, July 30, 2023, in California’s Mojave National Preserve. The York Fire burned more than 77,000 acres and has 0 percent containment. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

Due to specific and dangerous weather conditions, the fire in York has created a number of fire whirlwinds, essentially tornadoes made of fire that are both extremely dangerous and can spread embers that spark the flames elsewhere

An image of the ongoing fire in York making its way through California and Nevada, completely out of control at this point

A tanker drops a fire retardant over the York fire in Mojave National Preserve on Saturday

The fire was first noticed Friday in the burning Mojave National Preserve near remote Caruthers Canyon

The out-of-control fire is likely to burn much of the plant life that sprouted during a particularly rainy wet season this year

Clark County also advises the public to avoid State Route 164.

The cause of the current fire has not yet been determined, but it was first observed on Friday near Caruthers Canyon.

Tankers are flown over the desert spraying flame retardants to slow the spread of the fire.

An unusual rainy season this year led to spectacular blooms in the Mojave Desert, many of which will be burned by the raging inferno.

The arid western states have had an unusually quiet fire season this year due to exceptionally wet weather that ended drought in many parts of the desert.

Meteorologists warned, however, that the delay would be short-lived as record temperatures hit many southwestern cities this summer, including in Las Vegas – near where the York fire has spread.