‘The Lungs of Our Region Are on Fire:’ Wildfires Exact a Punishing Toll

"For much of this week and last, devastation wrought by Hurricane Harvey in Houston and Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean has grabbed front-page headlines. But wildfires in the West have been wreaking destruction of their own, though it has attracted less attention. Vast swaths of land have burned, choking the air with ash and smoke.

Today, we asked our readers on Facebook to tell us how the fires are affecting their lives and communities. From California to Vancouver, British Columbia, from Oregon to Montana, response was swift and sometimes heartbreaking. These are a selection of responses:"

Nancy Wartik reports for the New York Times September 8, 2017.