California fire out of control

PLACERVILLE: A wildfire burning for a week in northern California has continued to grow out of control, one of about a dozen big blazes in the drought-stricken state that have destroyed hundreds of homes and forced thousands of people to evacuate.

There was zero containment on Sunday of the Caldor fire, which had charred nearly 400 square kilometres of trees and bush in the Sierra Nevada after breaking out on August 14.

Firefighters hoped to take advantage of cooler temperatures a day after gusts pushed the fire across US Route 50, threatening more remote communities in El Dorado County.