It was the second wildfire-related death in California in a week, another person having been found dead in his vehicle in the path of the Sand Fire in Los Angeles County.
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Firefighters in northwest Nevada are bracing for dry, hot winds and the possibility of erratic flames as they battle a series of wildfires that have charred nearly 75 square miles of rangeland.
A fire that has charred more than 93 square miles in the Virginia Mountains near Pyramid Lake was about 68 per cent contained.
Officials are asking for the public’s help to find whoever started the campfire that sparked the wildfire, which destroyed 57 homes.
The Yakima-Herald reported (http://goo.gl/yxcqaB ) the fire that has scorched about 273 square miles was up to 20 percent contained, from 10 percent Tuesday morning.
It prompted the evacuation of an RV and tent campground off a highway. No vineyards in wine country are threatened. It was 25 percent contained. Residents of about 630 homes southwest of Hamilton were evacuated while another 215 homes were warned to be ready to leave.
Authorities said firefighters increased containment to 30 percent.
Officials said the blaze spread quickly through tinder-dry dry grass and brush.
Fed by high winds in the steep area, the blaze came within 60 feet to 80 feet of houses in a well-to-do neighborhood overnight. Some fences were damaged, but no homes were lost and people were allowed back into the 39 evacuated homes midday.
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.
Officials are reporting progress containing two large wildfires pushed by dry winds through remote rangeland and rugged canyons in northwestern Nevada.
More than 5,450 people have been battling the blaze and 2,000 homes remain under threat. Both were started by lightning. Pyramid Lake was closed, and was being used as a water source by air tankers.
Investigators arrived at their ruling about the cause of the blaze after more than 150 hours of examining the scene and interviewing witnesses.
By Wednesday morning, authorities say crews had gained some containment of the fire. Bulldozer operator, Robert Reagan III, was crushed to death when his rig rolled over on him.
Fire information officer Deborah McClain said investigators determined the blaze started July 22 in a day camping area of Garapata Park where campfires are prohibited. No one has been injured. Firefighters were trying to stop a Washington blaze from reaching a thickly forested security zone at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation.
The Soberanes Fire continued to grow Tuesday, and firefighters estimated it would be weeks before the flames would be suppressed.
Firefighters have set up sprinkler systems on homes in a central Idaho town to stop a 78-square-mile wildfire from coming down a creek drainage that funnels into the small community.
The fire began at an “illegal, unattended campfire”, Jaques said.
A western Montana wildfire has grown to 11 square miles in the Bitterroot National Forest.
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The fire closed a section of State Highway 21 between Idaho City and Lowman and destroyed two outbuildings.
