Fire spokeswoman Lucinda Nolan said Wednesday the blaze was 12 percent contained, and crews are trying to keep the fire east of the Pacific Crest Trail and west of Crater Lake Rim Drive.
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The burn scar had grown to 44,300 acres – larger than the city of San Francisco – and was visible from space as heavy smoke billowed from the mountainous landscape of California’s picturesque Central Coast.
Since erupting on July 22, the fire has blackened almost 46,000 acres (18,600 hectares), destroyed at least 57 homes and claimed the life of a bulldozer operator who died when his tractor rolled over as he helped property owners battle the blaze. Last week, a privately contracted bulldozer operator was killed when his equipment rolled over while he was fighting the fire.
After days of high humidity and sweltering temperatures, cooler conditions in the area of Big Sur are now aiding firefighters in their efforts to finally get a blaze that has already scorched more than 63 square miles under control.
Meanwhile to our north, on the eastern side of Lake Berryessa near Winters, a grass fire broke out Tuesday afternoon around 4:30 that has now become a 4,000-acre wildfire, called the Cold Fire.
Firefighters have gained 50 percent containment of the fire that has burned about 22 square miles on private land and in Shoshone National Forest.
The blaze has charred more than 7 square miles in Napa, Yolo and Solano counties since igniting Tuesday. Some fences were damaged, but no homes were lost and people were allowed back into the 39 evacuated homes midday.
In California’s Central Valley, crews got a lot more control over a stubborn wildfire that has destroyed three homes and is threatening another 400 northeast of Fresno.
The rugged terrain has made it hard for the 5,522 firefighters working to extinguish the blaze.
The fire started on Sunday about 5 miles southwest of Hamilton and destroyed 14 homes along with dozens of outbuildings and some vehicles.
The fire is about 10 percent contained.
Cal Fire said the blaze might take another month to fully extinguish.
A wildfire burning toward the Hanford nuclear reservation has scorched about 273 square miles of brush and grass as it spread from Yakima County into Benton County in south-central Washington.
The fire’s now up past 45,000 acres and is still threatening hundreds of homes. It also has burned two other buildings.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said about 300 people were under evacuation orders from homes just outside Sierra National Forest.
Authorities said Tuesday that firefighters increased containment to 30 percent.
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Officials are reporting progress containing two large wildfires pushed by dry winds through remote rangeland and rugged mountain canyons in northwestern Nevada.
