The ruins of homes destroyed by a wildfire litters the ground in Phoenix, Ore., Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020.

 AP PHOTO/GILLIAN FLACCUS

Rachel Sandler Forbes Staff • September 10, 2020

KEY FACTS

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown declared an emergency and asked for federal resources as firefighters battle 900,000 acres of wildfires across the state.

Three people have died in the Oregon fires so far.

The five largest fires in the state are collectively about 1% contained, according to the Oregonian.

The blazes have particularly caused widespread damage in the small Oregon cities of Phoenix and Talent, where satellite images show large swaths of land entirely scorched. 

KEY BACKGROUND

The West Coast, including California, Washington and Oregon, is experiencing unprecedented wildfires amid dry heat and strong winds. The August Complex fire became the largest blaze in California history on Thursday and six of the top 20 largest wildfires in California history have occurred this year. Scientists point to evidence showing that human-caused climate change is linked to such extreme weather events, which have been occurring with greater frequency and severity in recent years.