50 Large Fires In Plains, West - 6 Million Acres+ Burned So Far In 2006

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More than 50 large wildfires ravaged the West and Great Plains on Wednesday and burned more than 400,000 acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise.

This year, almost 6 million acres have burned nationwide, surpassing year-to-date totals for the past six years

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Fanned by hot winds, small range fires grew to thousands of acres across the eastern Idaho plains, while dozens of new blazes were reported in the central mountains after dry-lightning storms.

Not counting wilderness fires being allowed to burn for environmental rejuvenation, eight large fires were being actively fought in Idaho, according to the fire center. Combined, the eight fires had burned more than 100 square miles.

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http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20060810/a_wildfire10.art.htm