The Pacific Northwest is practically synonymous with wet and cool weather.

But right now, it’s hot, dry and on fire.

A relentless wave of wildfires is tearing through the region, fueled by tens of thousands of lightning strikes, scorching temperatures, low humidity and gusty winds.

Weather in your inbox

Forecast Location

Sign Up

By signing up you agree to the Terms & Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe at any time.

(MORE: Will wildfire smoke make a comeback in the Midwest and East?)

In Canada, British Columbia is confronting 90 active blazes alongside 25 evacuation orders, marking what Prime Minister Mark Carney called one of the country's most intense wildfire seasons on record, as reported by The Guardian. Meanwhile, dozens of large fires continue to rage across Oregon and Washington state.

Firefighters are facing daunting conditions. Suppression efforts are severely hindered by rough, remote terrain, rapid fire growth and intense flames, with local authorities warning that weather forecasts offer little relief anytime soon. In response, Canada has mobilized thousands of firefighters and hundreds of aircraft to battle the flames.

Get More of Our News on Google

Set The Weather Company as a 'Preferred Source' to get quicker access to the news you value.

Beyond ground operations, the environmental toll is spreading rapidly across the sky. NASA reported that the widespread blazes are significantly degrading regional air quality by releasing heavy concentrations of brown carbon and organic aerosols into the atmosphere.

While smoke plumes are projected to drift into the central and eastern United States over the coming days, meteorologists expect the haze to remain elevated well above the ground, preventing another wave of unhealthy air quality.

Oregon firefighters brace for windy and hot weather as they battle dozens of blazes

Firefighters battling two of the largest blazes burning in Oregon were bracing for windy and dry conditions forecast to arrive in some areas of the state Friday and into Saturday.

Crews have been able to build some containment lines around the Akawa Butte Fire, which is burning near Sisters, a town about 22 miles northwest of Bend. Started by lightning on July 16, the fire has scorched 42 square miles and destroyed two homes.

It has been designated as the nation’s top priority wildfire because of its proximity to people. The designation will allow officials to tap into resources from other states and other countries, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said Friday.

Strong winds and low humidity were expected later Friday and Saturday and could lead to increased fire activity, officials warned. They urged residents to be prepared to evacuate if necessary.

(MORE: France and Spain battle wildfires as 250,000 people forced to evacuate)

The National Weather Service issued a red-flag warning in central Oregon through Saturday, which means conditions such as low humidity, warm temperatures and strong winds can create an extreme wildfire risk.

The most critical period for Sisters, a town of 3,800 people about 3 miles (5 kilometers) south of the fire, will be the next 24 to 48 hours, said Sisters Mayor Jennifer Letz. She said about half of the town's population has been told to be ready to leave if needed.

“If we can get through this weekend, we will probably be in a good position moving forward. But right now, we do have the north half of the city under orders to be prepared, to have a plan, to get their things together," she said.

More than 1,000 firefighters are battling the blaze and more are expected to join them to help strengthen and expand containment lines. The blaze has shown extreme fire behavior, including 200-foot (61-meter) flame heights and a pyrocumulus cloud that generated its own lightning, Kotek said.

“This is all-hands-on-deck here in Oregon,” she said.

It’s not Oregon’s only significant wildfire, making this an especially challenging period for emergency responders, she said.

Dozens more fires are burning across the state, choking the air in Oregon and sending smoke across the country. Kotek said every available firefighter and firefighting resource is being used in the field.

The biggest blaze is the Rowe Creek Complex, which has destroyed 300 square miles (777 square kilometers) since being sparked by lightning on July 15. It was nearly 30% contained on Friday.

Firefighters have made progress on the northern portion of the blaze, where they have built containment lines, but strong winds fueled the fire and it expanded on its southern end after spot fires jumped containment lines, said Thadd Niebel, an operations chief with the U.S. Forest Service.

Crews were being reassigned to the southern portion of the blaze to strengthen containment lines and protect homes and other buildings ahead of winds forecast to reach 20 mph (32 kph), Niebel said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.