Firefighters struggle to contain blazes across Western U.S.

SANTA MARIA, CALIF.— South of the Canadian border, wildfires also barrelled across the baking landscape of the Western U.S.

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

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

There was minimal containment and flames shut down State Route 154, which is expected to remain closed for days. At least 20 structures were burned.

About 90 children and 50 staff were stuck Saturday at the Circle V Ranch and had to take shelter until they could be brought to safety.

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

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

The blaze, about 95 kilometres 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.

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.

Elsewhere in the U.S., firefighters were battling to contain wildfires blazing in Colorado, Arizona, Nevada and Oregon.