Crews make progress against Western wildfires

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES

Firefighters battling home-threatening wildfires in the West caught a break overnight as gusty winds died down but with the region bracing for sweltering heat, Saturday’s respite could be brief, authorities said.

A 4-day-old fire in California coastal canyons was 45 percent contained after 40-mph “sundowner” winds failed to materialize.

Those evening and night gusts had driven the flames through steep, brushy canyons west of Santa Barbara on previous nights and forced closure of a major highway.

No homes have burned, but about 270 homes and ranches are at risk, and campgrounds are evacuated with flames only 2 miles from more-densely populated coastal communities.

In central New Mexico, firefighters took advantage of cooler weather overnight to reinforce holding lines around a blaze that has destroyed two dozen homes.

Fire lines were strengthened on the western and southern boundaries of a blaze that erupted in the Manzano Mountains south of Albuquerque.

However, erratic light winds were possible during the day, which could drive embers and start new spot fires, the U.S. Forest Service warned.

The fire has burned more than 27 square miles about 6 miles northwest of Tajique since Tuesday and spread a pall of smoke as far as Denver. The damage includes 24 homes and nearly as many structures near the small community of Chilili.

In Arizona, a fire southwest of Show Low was 30 percent contained. Crews in Utah also made gains against three wildfires in the southern part of the state.