A wildfire north of scenic Big Sur spread again overnight and now has charred more than 67 square miles.
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The so-called Soberanes Fire, which erupted on July 22, began as a small blaze, 60cm in diameter, ignited by unknown individuals in a section of Garrapata State Park that was closed to camping and campfires, according to US Forest Service spokesman Don Jaques.
Monterey County District Attorney Dean Flippo said if a person is arrested, they could be charged with negligence and manslaughter for the death of 35-year-old bulldozer operator Robert Oliver Reagan III, killed fighting the fire last week.
The blaze that broke out July 22 has destroyed 57 homes and is threatening 2,000 additional structures.
The blaze has charred more than 7 square miles in Napa, Yolo and Solano counties since igniting Tuesday.
The fire started on Sunday about 5 miles southwest of Hamilton and destroyed 14 homes along with dozens of outbuildings and some vehicles. But the annual number of large wildfires in the American West has increased by more than 75 percent, from roughly 140 fires in the 1980s to 250 fires in the 2000s, the Union of Concerned Scientists reported in 2014.
A almost 8-square-mile wildfire was burning in the scenic Poodle Mountain Wilderness Study Area, about 50 miles farther north.
Dave Ulibarri with Salt Lake County’s Unified Fire Authority said the blaze started early Wednesday on a mountainside above the city of Draper and spread quickly through dry grass and brush.
KCFD says it appears the cause of the fire was from parking in an area with hot material, which set the rear tires on the driver’s side on fire.
The eight-square-kilometre blaze started Saturday and quickly spread through steep, rugged terrain covered with dry vegetation and dead trees.
Officials say slightly cooler weather and winds Wednesday should help firefighters trying to prevent flames from reaching the small town of Lowman. Tuesday morning, the Goose Fire was listed as 30% contained.
The blaze near Prather has damaged three homes just outside the Sierra National Forest, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.
A new wildfire blew up in northwest Wyoming, destroying some buildings and forcing evacuations in a mostly rural area. Officials say they don’t yet know how many structures have burned or the amount of land.
The only area still evacuated was Granite Creek in Teton County, where a wildfire was burning in Bridger-Teton National Forest.
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Residents of more than 600 homes remain evacuated, with an additional 200 on alert.
