Wildfires surge across the American Plains and the Southwest, forcing thousands to flee

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• Judy Woodruff:

  Firefighters in the American West and in the Plains are battling nearly a dozen large fires that have burned over 340 square miles in six states recently. More than 3,500 firefighters and support personnel are on the fire lines.

  Stephanie Sy has a report on the particular challenges that the fires are now posing in Arizona, New Mexico and Nebraska.

• Stephanie Sy:

  Wind-fueled fires continue to ravage part of the Southwest and Nebraska in what experts say is an unusually early start to the season.

  More than 150,000 acres have been decimated and thousands of residents in Arizona, New Mexico and Nebraska have had to evacuate in the past few weeks. In New Mexico, 20 wildfires continue to burn, fueled by prolonged and severe drought.

  The Calf Canyon Fire northeast of Santa Fe has charged more than 200 homes. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico has issued a state of emergency.

• Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishman (D-NM):

  There is no reason for us to lose anyone because they made a decision to stay, even in a mandatory evacuation — evacuation order. Please leave. We want you to be safe. This is a state that cares about you.

• Stephanie Sy:

  Winds are picking up again today. Fire evacuees are becoming weary.

• Man:

  The main problem that you have, which is permanent shelter. They don't have that. Where are they going to stay? They can stay here forever. I can't stay here forever. And not only that. As the weather gets hot, I got two cats in there.

• Stephanie Sy:

  In Northern Arizona, evacuation orders were lifted, but not before the massive Tunnel Fire destroyed hundreds of properties on the outskirts of Flagstaff.

  One of the biggest casualties for the region, the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, which official said was burned in its entirety. The visitors center and its relics survived.

• Preston Mercer, Fire Management Specialist:

  The environment is not very friendly. It was blowing 70 miles an hour. Rocks were hitting everybody in the face. It was very smoky, and we're working directly in the heat. These guys are working incredibly hard.

• Stephanie Sy:

  Meanwhile, in Nebraska, a wildfire claimed the life of a retired fire chief on his way to help fight the fire. Fifteen others were injured.

  The blaze near the border with Kansas has mostly consumed prairie and farmland. Ranchers have reported losing hundreds of livestock.

• Steve Rice, Logistics Coordinator For Fire Relief, Furnas County, Nebraska:

  These are some of those same guys that have donated in the past to go to the other fire relief deals. They're now the victims. So, you see someone who's been wiped out. I have friends that lost their ranch and their — all of their feed.

• Stephanie Sy:

  High winds in Nebraska expected to gusts up to 30 miles an hour and low humidity will challenge firefighters today.

  Typically, wildfire season begins in the late spring, but extremely dry conditions and rising temperatures, telltale symptoms of climate change, are fueling these conditions for longer stretches of the year.

  For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Stephanie Sy.