Wildfire threat abates in Northern California

MINERAL, Calif. -- Residents of a tiny mountain town breathed easier Friday after air tankers and helicopters blunted the run of a massive wildfire in Northern California just outside Lassen Volcanic National Park.

"After hearing the news I think I feel a whole lot better today," said Bob Einck, adding that he didn't expect to have to carry possessions out of his vacation home in Mineral to protect them from fire danger Friday.

Fire crews working by air the previous day doused the spearhead of the Ponderosa Fire as it crept up the deep Battle Creek Canyon toward the park and the town of about 190 homes.

CalFire Division Chief Scott Lindgren said Thursday the air drops of fire retardant and water were focused on a "critical spot" where flames were burning the steep timbered sides of the canyon, about 6 miles from Mineral.

Brush and dirt in the area were colored orange-pink by a recent drop of retardant that helped to slow the fire's spread.

Sixty-four homes and 20 other buildings have been destroyed, mostly in the Manton area, since lightning ignited the blaze Saturday, state fire spokesman Don Camp said. It was still threatening 900 other homes as it burned a new front to the south.

About 2,500 firefighters were battling the blaze, which has grown to 44 square miles in the piney hills about 25 miles southeast of Redding.

The Ponderosa Fire was more than two-thirds contained Friday morning, said CalFire spokesman Daniel Berlant. Full containment is expected early next week

"We've definitely turned the corner, and we're really starting to make good progress in getting a handle on the fire," Berlant said.

Elsewhere in the state, a large wildfire in Plumas National Forest expanded with help from gusty winds. The blaze, about 120 miles north of Sacramento, has consumed 99 square miles since it started at the end of July and threatens about 900 homes. It was 55 percent contained Thursday night.

The California fires were among several stubborn wildfires in the West. In Washington, crews were still working on a week-old wildfire that has destroyed 51 homes and 26 outbuildings and damaged at least six other homes, authorities said.

The fire, about 75 miles east of Seattle, has caused an estimated $8.3 million in property damage.

In central Idaho, firefighters were burning and removing vegetation near the town of Featherville in hopes of protecting hundreds of evacuated homes from an approaching wildfire. Fire managers said that blaze already has charred 164 square miles, forcing the residents to evacuate due to heavy smoke.

Source: http://www.modbee.com/2012/08/24/2342451/wildfire-threat-abates-in-northern.html

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