"CHELAN, Wash./SALMON, Idaho -- Dozens of wildfires burning across the drought-parched U.S. Northwest on Tuesday have destroyed scores of structures, sparked evacuation orders for thousands of people, and killed at least 27 wild horses.

More than 100 homes have been destroyed since Friday in Washington state, Idaho and Oregon, authorities said.

About 200 U.S. soldiers have been called in to reinforce civilian firefighters battling almost 90 blazes that have blackened more than 1 million acres (400,000 hectares) across the country's arid West. The mobilization was the first of its kind since 2006."

David Ryder and Laura Zuckerman report for Reuters August 19, 2015. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"WILDFIRE: Forest Service 'Borrowed' From Panoply of Programs Since '02" (Greenwire) [3]

"With A Stunning 7 Million Acres Burned So Far, the U.s. Wildfire Situation Is Looking Dire" (Washington Post) [4]