Colorado wildfires burn more than 130,000 acres, smoke spotted from space
Heat wave, dry conditions across West have allowed wildfires to spread
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Four major wildfires currently burning in Colorado are generating large plumes of smoke that can be spotted from space.
The blazes have erupted over the past two weeks, as a persistent heat wave across the West combined with gusty winds and low humidity allowed the fires to spread.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the wildfires had collectively burned more than 130,000 acres.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Imagery from the NOAA-NASA Suomi NPP satellite on Saturday captured plumes of smoke from the fires spreading across the state.
Four major wildfires can be seen burning across Colorado in this satellite image from Saturday. (NOAA/NASA)
The Pine Gulch Fire burning north of Grand Junction is the largest of the four fires, consuming more than 87,000 acres in two weeks.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Smoke from the Colorado wildfires is drifting across portions of the state. (NOAA/NASA)
As of Monday, it was the fourth-largest fire in state history and was only 7% contained.
Some 757 firefighters are involved in the battle against the blaze, which has spurred some evacuations, according to FOX31.
LIGHTNING FROM RARE 'VIOLENT' THUNDERSTORMS IN CALIFORNIA SPARKS DOZENS OF WILDFIRES ACROSS BAY AREA
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Grizzly Creek Fire, which erupted last Monday, is still 0% contained after burning over 25,000 acres.
The location of the fire and the smoke it is producing has resulted in Interstate 70 being closed for several days through the Glenwood Canyon area, FOX31 reported.
Officials do not have an estimated time for the highway to reopen.
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The Cameron Peak and Williams Fork fires have burned 12,323 acres and 6,627 acres, respectively, as of Tuesday morning.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Hot, dry conditions across the West have led to conditions allowing for rapid wildfire spread.
The sun sets behind the Rocky Mountains and turns the sky red as wildfires burn across the state Monday, Aug. 17, 2020, in this view from Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), nearly 42 million Americans are under warnings, while another 8.8 million are under advisories.