Fires, dust storms, extreme heat slam the West

Fires, wind, and extreme heat created dangerous conditions across the West over the weekend.

(NBC)- Fires, wind, and extreme heat created dangerous conditions across the West over the weekend.

In northern Nevada, Burning Man festivalgoers were caught in the middle of a freak dust storm, with winds gusting over 50 miles per hour. Videos showed tents collapsing, kitchens caving in, and people covered head-to-toe in dust as visibility dropped to near zero. Traffic into the temporary Black Rock City backed up for hours, while the National Weather Service warned that monsoon thunderstorms could follow.

In California, firefighters battled the massive Picket Fire in Napa County. The blaze had scorched nearly 7,000 acres since Thursday and was just 11% contained. Crews used air tankers and bulldozers to hold the fire back from the town of Calistoga, but flames continued to threaten homes, vineyards, and other properties. Officials said evacuation orders remained in place until it was safe for residents to return.

Farther north, in central Oregon, the Flat Fire exploded to more than 20,000 acres with no containment.

Adding to the danger was a relentless heat wave blanketing the region. Nearly 29 million people were under heat alerts from Washington to Arizona, conditions that forecasters said would continue to fuel wildfires in the days ahead.