Cooler weather helps in western wildfire fight

July 9, 2017

Hannah Patrick,

SANTA MARIA, CA (AP) — The Latest on wildfires burning in the western U.S. and Canada. (all times local):

9:55 a.m.

California crews are hoping slightly cooler temperatures and diminishing winds will help in the battle against three major wildfires that have destroyed structures, closed a highway and forced evacuations.

One of two fires raging in Santa Barbara County grew to 12 square miles (31 square kilometers) early Sunday, traversing a mountain range and heading south toward coastal Goleta.

There is minimal containment and flames have shut down State Route 154. County fire Capt.

Dave Zaniboni says crews will use air tankers to attack that fire and another one about 50 miles north that exploded in size to 37.5 square miles (97 square kilometers).

At least 10 buildings have burned in a blaze in Northern California’s rural Butte County that has forced 3,500 people from homes.

In Wyoming, fire managers say good weather has helped them make progress fighting a wildfire burning in beetle-killed trees.

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8 a.m.

Wildfires barreled across the baking landscape of the western U.S. and Canada, destroying a smattering of homes, forcing thousands to flee and temporarily trapping children and counselors at a California campground.

A pair of wildfires egged on by record-breaking heat in Southern California quickly spread, threatening hundreds of homes and forcing evacuations at a popular lakeside campground and a summer camp.

In Northern California, a Butte County wildfire swept through grassy foothills and destroyed 10 structures, including homes, and led to several minor injuries.

Firefighters were contending with nearly 200 wildfires burning in British Columbia that had destroyed dozens of buildings, including several homes and two airport hangars.

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10 p.m. SATURDAY

A pair of California wildfires have quickly spread, threatening hundreds of homes and forcing evacuations at a popular lakeside campground and a summer camp where flames temporarily trapped children and counselors, a fire official said.

The fire that started early Saturday afternoon in Santa Barbara County had spread to both sides of Highway 154 and was “completely out of control,” county fire Capt. Dave Zaniboni said.

About 90 children and 50 counselors were struck at the Circle V Ranch and had to take shelter there until they could be safely evacuated.

In other parts of the West, evacuation orders were lifted in Colorado and Montana towns threatened by wildfires, while air and ground crews battled a growing grass fire in northwestern Colorado.