The massive fire has set a frightening new record.

A wildfire that broke out in Klamath County, Oregon last Tuesday continues to rage despite the best efforts of local fire officials. As of yesterday, the fire, now named the “Bootleg Fire,” became the largest active wildfire in the United States, having burned over 200,000 acres of land and destroyed 54 buildings and 21 homes in the process. The precise cause of the fire is still unknown.

UPDATE: Here is another version of Oregon's #BootlegFire from last evening, seen here in a zoomed-in GeoColor/#Fire Temperature composite from @NOAA's #GOES17🛰️. This fast-moving #wildfire is currently the nation's largest active fire. pic.twitter.com/x0ouvo5FTM

— NOAA Satellites – Public Affairs (@NOAASatellitePA) July 13, 2021

Hundreds of homes are currently under an evacuation order. According to fire officials, the severe heat waves that have been plaguing the western United States will only make these conditions worse, as dry ground and strong wind carries the blaze further.

“This fire does have the potential to spread and the forest is very dry,” Sweet Home District Ranger and agency administrator Nikki Swanson said in a news release. “The safety of the public and the firefighters is our first priority. We’re in the process of closing several roads and trails to ensure firefighters can work efficiently and that the public remains safe. This will be managed as a full suppression fire.”

The Bootleg fire in Oregon is burning out of control as the West endures its third heat wave this summer. The blaze has scorched more than 143,000 acres, threatening a major power grid. https://t.co/9iAwvLrxWY

— The New York Times (@nytimes) July 12, 2021

Alongside the Bootleg Fire, there are several other major fires actively burning in the country, including the Jack Fire in Douglas County, the Grandview Fire near Oregon’s Crooked River National Grassland, the Bruler Fire near Detroit, and the Beckwourth Complex fire in California.