Crews getting Calif. wildfires under control

AS MORE people returned to their homes in Northern California on Tuesday — and the search for dozens of missing people continued — fire crews gained ground on the deadly wildfires that have scorched more than 210,000 acres and killed at least 41.

The four largest fires were all more than 50% contained as of Tuesday. The 52,894-acre Nuns fire, which gave firefighters the most trouble over the weekend, was 68% contained.

Crews made progress against the two parts of the fire closest to the cities of Sonoma and Santa Rosa.

Santa Rosa’s Sutter Hospital reopened Tuesday after evacuating nearly 80 patients a week ago within a frantic six hours.

“Today and the next few days, there’s a lot less smoke in the air and a lot less media attention here, but the job’s not done,” said Steve Crawford, operations section chief for the California.

A weekend blaze on the eastern edge of Santa Rosa that spread over 1,029 acres by Monday was 27% contained as of Tuesday morning, Crawford said.