Impressive photos of Western Wildfires

Wow! I have only one word for all the firefighters: respect.

Across the western United States, wildfire season is well underway, and dozens of fires are currently being fought. In Colorado, the High Park fire has destroyed more than 180 homes, the most in state history. The Whitewater-Baldy Complex fire, New Mexico's largest-ever wildfire, was recently declared 75 percent contained, after the lightning-sparked blaze began has burned for more than a month. Crews from California to Wyoming are approaching the fires with aerial water drops, ground equipment, brush clearing, and controlled burns. Gathered here are recent photos of some of these incidents, early glimpses of an already-busy 2012 wildfire season

The Little Bear Fire burns in the Lincoln National Forest near Ruidoso, New Mexico, on June 13, 2012. Some of the 2,500 people forced to evacuate their central New Mexico houses by wildfires raging near the resort village of Ruidoso began returning home this week with the help of National Guard troops, officials said. (Reuters/Kari Greer/USFS)


Fire sweeps across the forest floor during the Whitewater-Baldy Complex fire in New Mexico's Gila National Forest, in May of 2012. (Kari Greer/USFS)


Charred landscape caused by the Little Bear Fire in Lincoln National Forest, near Ruidoso, New Mexico, seen on June 14, 2012. (Reuters/Kari Greer/USFS)


Smoke and flames encroach upon homes on the eastern front of the High Park fire near Laporte, Colorado, on June 10, 2012. The wind-driven wildfire burning in the rugged Colorado canyon spread out of control, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate and one person in the fire zone was reported missing, officials said on Sunday. (Reuters/Marc Piscotty)


Fire explodes on the south side of Poudre Canyon as the High Park wildfire burns west of Fort Collins, Colorado, on June 14, 2012. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)


Charred trees from a forest fire in the Whitewater-Baldy Complex in New Mexico dominate the landscape in this June 2, 2012 photo. (Reuters/Kari Greer/US Forest Service/Handout.)

See the 35 photos here

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