Crews battling wildfires in 4 states out West
Wildfires are sweeping through several dry Western states, including a massive blaze that briefly shut down part of the main interstate between Southern and Northern California. A look at the latest hotspots and what crews are doing to control them:
CALIFORNIA
In Southern California, about 1,000 people have been evacuated from homes as a 100-acre wildfire burns through brushy canyonlands north of Los Angeles.
Houses and a mobile home park in the Newhall area of Santa Clarita have been emptied. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department says about 30 horses also were moved to safer ground.
The fire began Wednesday on the shoulder of Interstate 5, briefly closing freeway lanes. Firefighters began to get it surrounded several hours later.
Meanwhile, crews relied on retardant-dropping aircraft to battle a huge forest fire that has been burning for a week in an inaccessible area of the San Bernardino Mountains.
In Northern California, a wildfire has grown to 26 square miles in hazardous and inaccessible terrain south of Lake Tahoe and is moving closer to structures, officials said.
The mountain town of Markleeville remained on standby Wednesday for possible evacuations, and several campgrounds have been evacuated and two highways have been closed, officials said.
The fire, ignited by lightning Friday, was 10 percent contained by Wednesday evening.
ALASKA
Growing wildfires have led to more evacuations in Alaska’s parched interior.
More than 270 fires are burning in Alaska, including one near Eureka.
In Tanana, a tribal nonprofit flew 62 people 130 miles to Fairbanks, focusing on elders, children and people with health conditions.
There were 40 new fires reported Tuesday, bringing the total of active fires to 278. Altogether, fires have burned nearly 636 square miles.
OREGON
A wildfire scorching a remote part of southwestern Oregon has grown to nearly 8 square miles, but firefighters have gotten it nearly halfway contained.
Officials said fire lines will be tested in the coming days by a heat wave expected to bring tripledigit temperatures to the region. The lightningsparked blaze started June 11 and is burning in the Rogue-River Siskiyou National Forest.
WASHINGTON STATE
Cooler temperatures have helped temper a wildfire in Olympic National Park. The 950-acre blaze is burning high in the tree tops in a wilderness area near Quinault. No structures were threatened.
The fire was caused by a lightning strike in late May.