Wildfires

Wildfires - Iran

While winter is not normally thought of as wildfire season, a number of small wildfires have swept across several locations in its first week. At least three incidents have been reported this week following the huge blaze in the drought-stricken Meiqan Wetland located in Markazi Province on Dec. 22, which was linked to human activity. On Sunday, fire broke out in Abr Forest in Shahroud, Semnan Province and Bandar-e Gaz in Golestan Province saw flames erupted in the county's woodlands in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Wildfires - California

On Christmas Doay 1,500 firefighters and crew members worked around the clock to douse hot spots, maintain containment lines and mop up parts of the more than 280,000 acres charred by the massive Thomas Fire. Since it ignited Dec. 4, the fire has destroyed more than a thousand structures, spread from Santa Paula to Ventura and wrapped around Ojai before pushing toward Santa Barbara and inland forests. The fire is mostly contained now and is not expected to grow further.