4 California National Guard helicopters fight wildfires
CLE ELUM, Wash. (AP) - The Latest on the wildfires burning in the U.S. West (all times local):
2:30 p.m.
Four helicopters and aircrews from the California National Guard are helping battle two wildfires in central California from the air.
Cal Guard says two Black Hawk helicopters and two Chinook helicopters were deployed Sunday to fight blazes in Kern and Fresno counties.
It says the aircraft provide water drops, medical evacuation and personnel and equipment transportation.
Officials say the helicopters were deployed at the request of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services.
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11:35 a.m.
Authorities say cooler temperatures overnight helped firefighters battling a wildfire in Northern California that has grown to six square miles.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Sunday all containment lines at the fires burning in the Sierra foothills held well overnight.
Cal Fire says the blaze is threatening 2,600 structures and is 12 percent contained.
The fire burning in El Dorado and Placer Counties started Tuesday afternoon, rapidly growing as it charged through inaccessible terrain, and climbed out of a steep canyon along the middle fork of the American River.
A mandatory evacuation order is in effect in parts of El Dorado County, but authorities have been downgraded to advisory evacuations in Placer County.
In central California, firefighters made progress overnight on a fire that threatened up to 300 homes in a gated community in the Tehachapi (teh-HAH-chah-pee) Mountains. Kern County fire officials said Sunday the fire burned 2.8 square miles and was 40 percent contained.
A small, fast-moving brush fire that burned five homes in Southern California on Saturday was completely surrounded. Two firefighters and a resident were treated for heat exhaustion or smoke inhalation.
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10:15 a.m.
A large brushfire has led to evacuations and road closures on the on the Hawaiian island of Maui.
The fire forced evacuations for area businesses and about a dozen residents whose homes were threatened. Hikers trapped near the fire were flown to safety.
Intermittent highway closures have snarled traffic.
More than 9 square miles had burned on Maui as of Saturday night.
The fire is burning toward a subdivision on the Hawaiian island of Maui, The Maui News reports.
Crews are standing by to prevent the blaze in Maalaea from reaching the homes.
Maui County Fire Services Chief Edward Taomoto said in a news release an earlier fire sparked by a downed electrical line flared up Saturday afternoon and spread quickly in 40 mph winds.
Maui Electric Co. officials say the fire and strong winds broke an electrical line and about 16,000 people lost power for a few hours.
Rescue centers are set up at the War Memorial in Wailuku and Lahaina Civic Center.
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9:05 a.m.
Fire crews have contained a wildfire in central Washington's Kittitas County.
Department of Natural Resources spokeswoman Debbie Robinson said there is still a lot of heat and heavy snags in the fire that's burning just less than a square mile of brush and timber about 5 miles east of Cle Elum.
Authorities hope to have the fire controlled by Sunday evening. Strong winds are expected in the region for the next few days.
Six homes in the area were evacuated and some roads were closed on Saturday because of the fire. Robinson said Highway 10 was opened on Sunday and that the homeowners may be allowed back to their residences soon.
Investigators haven't determined what caused the fire.