Rain following heatwave helps crews make progress in tackling wildfires
COOLER, wetter weather has given at least some temporary help to crews battling dangerous wildfires in Southern California, while other blazes across the West were on the move.
Improved weather in the aftermath of a severe heat wave allowed firefighters to make progress against two fires in the steep San Gabriel Mountains, 20 miles north-east of Los Angeles. Some evacuations below in the foothill city of Duarte were being lifted, but the calm was not expected to last.
“We will have stronger winds, so it could push the fire,” incident commander Mike Wakoski said.
A fleet of helicopters and air tankers and other resources are helping fight the fires totalling about seven square miles.
“They’re starting to make good progress, but there’s a lot of line to put in, and it’s in a real inaccessible area,” Mr Wakoski said. “It’s very hard for the firefighters to engage the fire safely, but they are out there doing so.”
No homes have been lost, though flames have come close at times.
Near the Mexican border, a wildfire that forced the evacuation of some 600 homes about 40 miles south-east of San Diego grew to just over 10 square miles and was only partially contained.
Falling temperatures, rising humidity and cloud cover has helped, said Captain Kendal Bortisser of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
But firefighters still must deal with rough terrain and vegetation that has not burned in decades, he said.
Weather also helped on the rugged coast west of Santa Barbara.
Fog moved into the area scorched by a blaze that began more than a week ago, and most mandatory evacuations were called off.
With the more than 12-square-mile fire almost fully surrounded, firefighters shifted focus to battling hot spots within containment lines.