Cons fight big blazes

FIREFIGHTERS said for the first time yesterday they had made good progress battling California’s largest wildfire, but didn’t expect to have it under control until September.

The blaze north of San Francisco has grown to the size of Los Angeles since it started two weeks ago.

Crews of 14,000, including inmates and firefighters from overseas, have managed to cut lines around half the fire to contain the flames.

The blaze, about 160km north of San Francisco, has destroyed 116 homes and injured two firefighters.