At least 23 dead, dozens missing from Western US fires

The inhabitants of Portland and Oregon woke up on Friday in the smoke - filled air that also hindered the sun's rays and turned the sky orange into red. Hundreds of firefighters are struggling with two large fires, which can approach the most populated part of Oregon, writes The Guardian, broadcast The Express.

Oregon Governor Kate Brown said over 400,000 residents have been displaced and another 500 thousand are in some form under orders for relocation.

The most affected states by fires are California, Oregon and Washington. Nearly 100 fires have burned a record surface because of dry weather and high temperatures.

The mayor of Portland, Ted Wheeler, declared the emergency of fires, which enabled them to activate evacuation centers, ensure special oversight for people who do not have peaks, and close the city park and other green areas.

In the southern part of the city, fires are spreading so fast that some people who had moved to a shelter were forced to evacuate again.