Wildfires burn through Western U.S.

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (AP) — Wildfires barrelled across the baking landscape of the western U.S., destroying homes, forcing thousands to flee and temporarily trapping children and counsellors at a California campground.

In Northern California, a wildfire swept through grassy foothills in the Sierra Nevada and destroyed at least 10 structures and threatened more than 750 homes.

The blaze about 60 miles north of Sacramento grew rapidly to more than 18 square kilometres and was nearly 20 per cent contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

“It made a huge run last night,” fire spokeswoman Mary Ann Aldrich said Sunday. She said additional homes were destroyed, but that fire officials have not had a chance to assess the damage. Instead, they were focused on protecting structures while battling the fire in hot, sometimes windy conditions.

“It’s far from out, we’re going to be here for several days if not more,” Aldrich said.

The area burning was about 16 kilometres south of Oroville, where spillways in the nation’s tallest dam began crumbling from heavy rains this winter and led to temporary evacuation orders for 200,000 residents downstream.

Authorities said the fire sent hundreds of people fleeing from their homes.

Southern California residents and campers were sent scrambling as two fires exploded in size at separate ends of Santa Barbara County.

Crews were getting a break from slightly cooler temperatures and diminishing winds Sunday as they battled the pair of blazes that destroyed structures and closed a highway.

One of the fires grew to 31 square kilometres, traversing a mountain range and heading south toward coastal Goleta.

“The plan is to hit it with air tankers to keep it from moving to the south and to the east,” said county fire Capt. Dave Zaniboni. “There’s less heat and less wind, which makes things a little easier.”

There was minimal containment and flames shut down State Route 154, which is expected to remain closed for days. At least 20 structures burned, but officials didn’t say if they were homes.

Crews were also using an air attack against another blaze about 80 km north that exploded in size to 97 square km. About 200 rural homes east of Santa Maria were evacuated after the fire broke out Saturday.

Fires are also raging near Breckenridge, Colo.; in rural Arizona, where three homes burned and led to the evacuation of the town of Dudleyville; in south-central Oregon; and Nevada.