上萬人被迫撤離
The West Coast of the United States is in flames. Wildfires are burning from the Mexican border to the state of Washington, destroying millions of acres of forest and grassland.
美國西岸正陷入一片火海。野火從墨西哥邊境延燒到華盛頓州，摧毀了數百萬英畝的森林和草原，
flame(n.)火焰、火舌in flames=burning陷入一片火海acre(n.)英畝
California has borne the brunt of the onslaught and has witnessed six of the 20 largest wildfires in its history this year, which have burned over 3.2 million acres of land.
其中加州首當其衝，該州史上最大的20起野火就有6起發生在今年，燒毀了超過320萬英畝的土地，
bear or take the brunt of~首當其衝onslaught(n.)猛攻;攻擊;襲擊witness(n.)(尤指犯罪或事故的)目擊者、(法庭上的)證人(v.)目擊;看到、是發生…的地點(或時間)
That number far exceeded the state’s record of more than 1.9 million acres aflame in 2019.
這個數字遠遠超過了2019年火燒190萬英畝土地的記錄。
exceed(v.)超過;超出(數量);超越(規定的範圍)=surpassaflame(adj.)著火的;燃燒著的=burning=in flames
The fires are also hitting before the traditional peak of fire season in autumn.
往年火災高峰季通常發生在秋季，今年的大火提早來襲。
peak(n.)最高點;高峰(v.)達到最高點、高峰=reach a peak
“We’re seeing an unprecedented year of fires,” said Frank Lake, a US Forest Service research ecologist.
美國國家森林局生態研究學家雷克說：「我們正經歷前所未有的大火年。」
unprecedented(adj.)前所未見的precede(v.)(指時間或空間上)處在…之前先於in the preceding (=previous) chapter在前一章節中in the subsequent (following) chapter在接下來的這一章中
Fires have also ravaged through Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and other western states.
奧勒岡州、華盛頓州、科羅拉多州和西岸其它州也發生了大火。
ravage(v.)嚴重破壞、毀壞、損壞=destroy=damage
More than 4,000 homes and other structures have been incinerated, 33 people have been killed, and tens of thousands forced to evacuate.
大火燒毀超4千棟房屋和其它建築物，並造成33人喪生，上萬人被迫撤離。
incinerate(v.)把…燒成灰燼;焚毀=burn sth. completelyincinerator(n.)焚化爐a garbage incinerator垃圾焚化爐evacuate(v.)撤離、疏散vacuum(n.)真空(狀態)
The flames this week belched up enough smoke and soot into the atmosphere to temporarily block the sun, painting skies orange and making the air unhealthy to breathe.
這個禮拜大火熊熊燃燒，空中瀰漫的濃煙和灰燼直入大氣層，暫時擋住陽光，使得天空變成一片橘色，空氣品質也變得極為不佳。
belch up 排出(煙)soot(n.)煤煙;煤灰
Scientists say that climate change is a major factor driving the fires.
科學家們說氣候變遷是引發大火的主要因素。
driving…= the drives…迫使、驅使、帶動、引發be driven by...受到...的驅使、帶動
A dry rainy season, record-breaking summer temperatures as well as lightning events have helped set the stage for massive, destructive blazes.
乾燥的雨季、破紀錄的夏季氣溫及閃電事件創造了發生大規模毀滅性大火的條件。
lightning閃電set the stage for~為…創造條件destructive(adj.)毀滅性的;破壞性的destroy(v.)破壞blaze(n.)大火;烈火=a large, strong fire
Some of the fires around coastal California were sparked by lightning strikes that followed a scorching heatwave. Others were ignited by humans – but fueled by powerful, dry winds.
加州沿海地區發生的大火部分是熱浪來襲後發生的雷擊所引起的，其它則是由人類點燃的，但強勁乾燥的風助長了火勢。
spark(n.)火花;火星(v.)引起;導致;觸發lightning strikes雷擊heatwave(n.)熱浪ignite(v.)點燃、(使)燃燒、(使)爆炸fuel(n.)燃料(fossil fuels石化燃料)(v.)爲…添加燃料、加強;激起stoke(v.)添加燃料以撥旺(爐火)、煽動、激起(不良想法或情感)
“Each fire has a particular ignition, a particular context,” said Chris Field, a climate scientist at Stanford University. “But when you step back, a more consistent pattern emerges.” The climate crisis has increased the chance of large, extreme fires, he said.
史丹佛大學氣候科學家菲爾德表示：「每場火災都有其特定的起火原因，且有特定的背景。但是當退後一步觀察時，就會發現有更一致的模式。」他說，氣候危機增加了極端大火發生的機率。
ignition(n.)著火;燃燒context(n.)(事情存在、發生的)背景;環境、上下文;語境consistent(adj.)一致的