In Pictures

In Pictures: Dull orange sky as wildfires rage across western US

Skies were so dark it appeared more night than day at times, while in some places ash fell like snow.

The San Francisco skyline is obscured in orange smoke and haze as their seen from Treasure Island in San Francisco, California on September 9, 2020. - More than 300,000 acres are burning across the no — The San Francisco skyline is obscured in orange smoke and haze. [Brittany Hosea-Small/AFP]

People in San Francisco and elsewhere in California experienced a deep orange sky on Wednesday as massive wildfires filled the air with smoke and cinders.

Skies were so dark it appeared more night than day at times, while in some places ash fell like snow.

Dark skies blocking the sun lowered temperatures at what has historically been the warmest time of year in San Francisco.

“Geo-color imagery shows a very thick multilevel smoke deck over much of California,” the US National Weather Service said in a tweet.

“This smoke is filtering the incoming energy from the sun, causing much cooler temperatures and dark dreary red-shifted skies across many areas.”

What were being described as “unprecedented” wildfires, fuelled by strong winds and searing temperatures, were raging across a wide swath of California, Oregon and Washington state on Wednesday, destroying dozens of homes and businesses in the western US states and forcing tens of thousands of residents to evacuate.

Hundreds of homes have been lost to massive Oregon wildfires with a potentially historic number of deaths feared in the northwestern US state, governor Kate Brown said on Wednesday.

More than 121,000 hectares (300,000 acres) are burning across Oregon including 35 major wildfires, with at least five towns “substantially destroyed” and mass evacuations taking place.

Along with neighbouring California and Washington states, Oregon has been scrambling to contain rapidly spreading wildfires since the weekend due to unprecedented heatwaves followed by intense, dry winds.

Cars drive along the Golden Gate Bridge under an orange smoke filled sky at midday in San Francisco, California on September 9, 2020. - More than 300,000 acres are burning across the northwestern stat — Cars drive along the Golden Gate Bridge under an orange smoke-filled sky. [Harold Postic/AFP]

A man walks by CORT Furniture Outlet on Sutter St as an orange wildfire haze blankets San Francisco, California, U.S., September 9, 2020 in this image obtained from social media. Courtesy of Adrianna — A man walks on Sutter Street as an orange wildfire haze blankets San Francisco. [Reuters]

Smoke from California wildfires obscures the sky over Oracle Park as the Seattle Mariners take batting practice before their baseball game against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, — Smoke from California wildfires obscures the sky over Oracle Park as the Seattle Mariners take batting practice before their baseball game against the San Francisco Giants. [Tony Avelar/AP Photo]

epaselect epa08657767 People sit at Alamo Square under an orange and yellow overcast sky overlooking the The Painted Ladies, the iconic row of historical Victorian homes with a downtown backdrop, in t — People sit at Alamo Square overlooking the The Painted Ladies, the iconic row of historical Victorian homes with a downtown backdrop, in San Francisco. [John G Mabanglo/EPA]

Cars drive along Ygnacio Valley Road below an orange sky filled with wildfire smoke in Concord, California on September 9, 2020, as a hazy-looking Walnut Creek can be seen in the distance through the — Cars drive along Ygnacio Valley Road in Concord, California. More than 121,000 hectares (300,000 acres) are burning across the western state including 35 major wildfires, with at least five towns 'substantially destroyed' and mass evacuations taking place. [Brittany Hosea-Small/AFP]

An orange sky filled with wildfire smoke hangs above hiking trails at the Limeridge Open Space in Concord, California, on September 9, 2020. - Dangerous dry winds whipped up California''s record-breaki — An orange sky filled with wildfire smoke hangs above hiking trails at the Limeridge Open Space in Concord, California. [Brittany Hosea-Small/AFP]

Law enforcement and fire personnel wait on the Enterprise Bridge to enter an area encroached by fire during the Bear fire, part of the North Lightning Complex fires, in unincorporated Butte County, in Oroville, California. [Josh Edelson/AFP]

An orange smoke-filled sky is seen above Estacada, Oregon, on September 9, 2020, as fires burn nearby. - Hundreds of homes including entire communities were razed by wildfires in the western United St — An orange smoke-filled sky is seen above Estacada, Oregon. [Deborah Bloom/AFP]