Fires Ravage Montana And Idaho

An intense 2007 fire season continues, with 55 fires currently burning 939,000 acres nationwide. More than 30 wildfires are burning in Idaho and Montana alone, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

So far this year 60,461 fire have burned 5,831,842 acres nationwide -- 12.5% more fires, to date, than the five-year average, and 13.3% more acreage burned.

Scientists say that more frequent and intense wildfires have likely already resulted, at least in part, from manmade global warming. They expect more frequent and intense wildfires in the future as mountain snow and ice slackens, and spring and summer conditions become more hot and dry. This map shows most of the large fires burning in the United States.

U.S. Forest Service / For an interactive version with more information, click here .

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