A wildfire burning through a swath of Los Angeles County for more than two weeks remained virtually unchecked Monday as fire managers struggled to gather resources needed to douse the inferno.
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The Bobcat Fire is one of scores of major fires burning across the West – including Oregon, where at least six people have been accused of igniting some of the blazes.
The Bobcat Fire has burned more than 160 square miles in and around the Angeles National Forest, destroying an unknown number of homes and an iconic nature center. Thousands of residents have fled the flames.
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“We’re still in the thick of a good firefight,” U.S. Forest Service public information officer Andrew Mitchell told the Los Angeles Times.
The fire “continues to advance in all compass directions depending on fuels and topography,” according to report from the unified command battling the fire. The blaze was expected to spread into several communities.
Wind gusts and low humidity have hampered efforts to control the blaze, listed as 15% contained.
The report also cited concerns over stretched resources. Almost 19,000 firefighters are battling 27 major wildfires across the state. The Bobcat has more than 1,700 personnel on scene, but fire managers cited “limited resources for the fire. Critical need for resources continue.”
Sophia Mavrolas, a senior at Cal State Northridge and a resident of Juniper Hills, told the Press-Enterprise newspaper she evacuated Friday but returned home Sunday. She said she could hear propane tanks exploding.
“It was so terrifying. The fire line stops within just walking distance of my neighbors,” she said. “My neighborhood was extremely lucky to get out of this okay, but my heart aches so bad for my neighbors in upper Juniper Hills.”
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The county parks department tweeted that the fire’s “devastating destruction” burned the nature center at Devil’s Punchbowl Nature Area. No animals nor staff were injured at the 1,310-acre “geological wonder” that draws 130,000 visitors annually, the department said.
Damage caused by wildfires is seen in Gates, Oregon on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020.
Dennis and Denise Schlies, and Shirley Hoover pose for a portrait with their pets Guni the dog and Savannah the cat on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020 at a hotel in Salem, Oregon. The family lost their home during the wildfire in Gates, Oregon.
Fire burns through the Angeles National Forest on September 18, 2020.
Los Angeles County Firefighters 1106 work to extinguish the Bobcat Fire in Valyermo, California on Sept. 18, 2020, one of the many neighborhoods near Angeles National Forest that have been threatened by the Fire. The Bobcat Fire, which has been burning since Sept. 6, is now 15% contained.
The SQF (Sequoia) Complex Fire blazes through forest area on Sept. 17, 2020 in Springville, Calif. The fire has affected the communities of Alpine Village, Sequoia Crest, and Doyle Springs.
Rows of mailboxes destroyed from fire damage are seen on Sept. 17, 2020 in Springville, Calif. The SQF (Sequoia) Complex Fire has affected the communities of Alpine Village, Sequoia Crest, and Doyle Springs. It’s reported that 62 structures were damaged or destroyed in the fire.
Fred Skaff and his son Thomas, 22, clear debris from their home destroyed by the Almeda Fire, on Sept. 16, 2020 in Phoenix, Ore.
A car is seen covered in red fire retardant after the passage of the Almeda Fire at a trailer park on Sept. 16, 2020 in Talent, Ore.
Monica and Larry Garrison, left, walk with friends Donna and Victor Baumann to a neighbor’s property destroyed in the Beachie Fire, Sept. 16, 2020, in Mehama, Ore.
The remains of homes and vehicles line a residential street on Sept. 16, 2020 in Talent, Ore. Thousands remain evacuated following the destructive Almeda Fire in Southern Oregon.
Esme Rodas, (L-R) Alexa De La Cruz and Esly De La Cruz dig through the remains of the De La Cruz’s home on Sept. 16, 2020 in Talent, Ore.
A utility worker walks over a residential street covered in fire retardant on Sept. 16, 2020 in Talent, Ore.
Blue River, Ore., lies in ruin Sept. 15, 2020 eight days after the Holiday Farm Fire swept through its business district. More than 300 structures have been confirmed destroyed in the fire.
Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and California Gov. Gavin Newsom get a first-hand look at Creek Fire damage near Pine Ridge School in Auberry, Calif. on Sept. 15, 2020.
A firefighter watches the Bobcat Fire burning on hillsides near Monrovia Canyon Park in Monrovia, Calif. on Sept. 15, 2020.
In this aerial photo taken with a drone, fire retardant blankets leveled homes in Talent, Ore., on Sept. 15, 2020, after the Almeda Fire tore through the area.
(L-R) Michael Garcia, Arath Ramirez and Leonard Barila prop up the front door to Ramirez’s burned down home on Sept. 15, 2020 in Talent, Ore. City leaders estimate at least 600 homes were lost in the Almeda Fire as it burned through Talent and Phoenix, Ore.
A man stands near some of the destruction caused by the Almeda Fire in Phoenix, Ore., Sept. 15, 2020.
Keith Davis, a member of Washington Task Force One Search and Rescue squad praises search and rescue dog, Asher, while conducting operations Sept. 15, 2020, in Blue River, Ore. in areas affected by the Holiday Farm Fire. More than 300 structures have been confirmed destroyed in the fire.
A charred table is seen among the rubble of homes destroyed by the Almeda Fire in Talent, Ore., Sept. 15, 2020.
A tanker drops retardant as smoke from the SQF Complex Fire billows Monday, Sept. 14, 2020 near Camp Nelson and areas along Highway 190 east of Springville, Calif. The fire has also lead to a partial closure of Sequoia National Park.
Signs thanking firefighters hang on the fence at Holiday Farm Fire Incident Command Post at Thurston Middle School in Springfield, Oregon on September, 14, 2020 which was shrouded in a mix of fog and smoke.
Multiple agencies coordinate Monday, September 14, 2020 to defend Camp Nelson and areas along Highway 190 east of Springville from the SQF Complex Fire. The fire has also lead to a partial closure of Sequoia National Park.
The melted sign for the Oak Park Motel stands at the entrance of the property destroyed by the flames of the Beachie Creek Fire east of Salem, Ore. on Sept. 13, 2020. The wildfire caused the evacuation of 40,000 residents, killing four people and five are still missing.
Mill Creek Hotshots set a backfire to protect homes during the Bobcat Fire on September 13, 2020 in Arcadia, Calif. California wildfires that have already incinerated a record 2.3 million acres this year and are expected to continue till December. The Bobcat Fire, burning in the San Gabriel Mountains, has grown to about 32,000 acres and is only 6% contained.
Shayanne Summers holds her dog Toph while wrapped in a blanket after several days of staying in a tent at an evacuation center at the Milwaukie-Portland Elks Lodge, Sept. 13, 2020, in Oak Grove, Ore. “It’s nice enough here you could almost think of this as camping and forget everything else, almost,” said Summers about staying at the center after evacuating from near Molalla, Oregon which was threatened by the Riverside Fire.
The remnants of several homes destroyed by the Beachie Creek Fire east of Salem, Ore. on Sept. 13, 2020.
A chicken wanders through charred remains from the Beachie Creek Fire near the destroyed Oregon Department of Forestry, North Cascade District Office in Lyons, Ore. on Sept. 13, 2020.
Charred vehicles sit inside a burned auto-repair shop outside Medford, Oregon, following the passage of the Almeda fire.
Scott Coash, left, carries a cooler, hand sanitizer and a handgun as he walks into his evacuated neighborhood with his wife Cindy and their dog Bella, near Medford, Oregon, following the passage of the Almeda fire.
Harlan Brooks, left, recovers the remains of a vintage sewing machine that belonged to is partner Katie Fawkes, right, from the rubble of the home they shared in Talent, Ore. Sept. 12, 2020.
A firefighter keeps watch on flames that could jump the Angeles Crest Highway at the Bobcat Fire in the Angeles National Forest on September 11, 2020 north of Monrovia, California.
Kailiana Kroeker wears a respirator while during a visit to donation site at Silke Field in Springfield, Oregon on September, 11, 2020. Air quality continued to be hazardous in the region due to wildfire smoke.
The devastation is widespread: The Holiday Farm Fire left burned-out vehicles outside a shop in Nimrod, Ore.
Lindsie Cline (right) hugs her sister-in-law Brittany Cline from Leaburg, Ore. at an evacuation center at Springfield High in Springfield, Ore. on Sept. 10, 2020 after their families fled the flames of the Holiday Farm Fire.
Dora Negrete, right, and her husband Marcelino Rocha, left, and son Hector Rocha console each other after seeing their destroyed mobile home at the Talent Mobile Estates as wildfires devastate the region on Sept. 10, 2020 in Talent, Ore.
Volunteer firefighter Dave White looks on after losing his home in a fire, in Gates, Oregon, on Sept. 10, 2020. California firefighters battled the state’s largest ever inferno as tens of thousands of people fled blazes up and down the U.S. West Coast and officials warned the death toll could shoot up in coming days.
Firefighters work on mopping up a back burn near Leaburg, Ore on Sept. 10, 2020. A dearth of resources has hampered the fight against the Holiday Farm Fire.
A couple, who declined to give their names, embrace while touring in an area devastated by the Almeda Fire, Sept. 10, 2020, in Phoenix, Ore.
Mormon Lake Hotshots firefighter Sara Sweeney uses a drip torch to set a backfire to protect mountain communities from the Bobcat Fire in the Angeles National Forest on Sept. 10, 2020 north of Monrovia, Calif.
A charred vehicle is seen in the parking lot of the burned Oak Park Motel after the passage of the Santiam Fire in Gates, Ore., on Sept. 10, 2020.
Bethany Bravery (right) prays with a volunteer at an evacuation site for the Holiday Farm Fire at Springfield High in Springfield, Ore. on Sept. 10, 2020.
Members of the Mormon Hot Shots from Arizona lay hose line down rugged terrain off Highway 39 near Crystal Lake in front of the Bobcat Fire, which has burned more than 23,000 acres, Sept. 10, 2020.
Community donations of clothing, shoes, food and living supplies are available for evacuees from the Holiday Farm Fire at Springfield High in Springfield, Ore. on Sept. 10, 2020.
Patrick Kenefick, left, and Dana Williams, both of Mill Valley, Calif., record the darkened Golden Gate Bridge covered with smoke from wildfires, Sept. 9, 2020, from a pier at Fort Baker near Sausalito, Calif. The photo was taken at 9:47 a.m. in the morning.
Flames lick above vehicles on Highway 162 as the Bear Fire burns in Oroville, Calif., on Sept. 9, 2020.
Smoke from California wildfires obscures the sky over Oracle Park as the Seattle Mariners take batting practice before their baseball game against the San Francisco Giants on Sept. 9, 2020, in San Francisco.
In this image taken with a slow shutter speed, embers light up a hillside behind the Bidwell Bar Bridge as the Bear Fire burns in Oroville, Calif., on Sept. 9, 2020. The blaze, part of the lightning-sparked North Complex, expanded at a critical rate of spread as winds buffeted the region.
Remnants of homes, cars, bicycles and street signs litter the path left by the Creek Fire in Big Creek, Calif., on Tuesday, Sep. 8, 2020. The Creek Fire has destroyed over 50 homes between Huntington Lake and Shaver Lake. As of Wednesday morning the fire has consumed over 150,000 acres and 65 structures, and is at 0% containment. Over 1,000 personnel are assigned to the Creek Fire.
Wind and flames leap high in the air as a home near Shaver Lake, Calif., is being consumed by the fire on Sunday, Sep. 6, 2020. The fire has destroyed over 160,000 acres and remains at 0% containment.
A melted slide smolders as a playground continues to burn at Pine Ridge school during the Creek fire in an unincorporated area of Fresno County, California on September 08, 2020. – Wildfires in California have torched a record more than two million acres, the state fire department said on September 7, as smoke hampered efforts to airlift dozens of people trapped by an uncontrolled blaze.
Butte County firefighters watch as flames quickly spread across a road at the Bear fire in Oroville, California on September 9, 2020. – Dangerous dry winds whipped up California’s record-breaking wildfires and ignited new blazes, as hundreds were evacuated by helicopter and tens of thousands were plunged into darkness by power outages across the western United States.
Brian Fowlie, a volunteer firefighter and North Fork resident closes his eyes as he rest his body on a utility pole in the Cascadel Woods neighborhood in Madera County on Monday, Sep. 7, 2020.
A look at the Creek Fire fro the Cascadel Woods neighborhood in Madera County on Monday, Sep. 7, 2020. As of Tuesday morning the fire has consumed over 140,000 acres and has over 1,000 personnel working on putting out the fire.
A State Trooper leave the Oregon State Capitol as a combination of high winds and multiple wildfires cause smoke, poor air quality and low visibility at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem, Oregon on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020.
The sky glows red as ash floats through the air in Stayton, Oregon on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. Many residents are preparing to evacuate.
Kristin Croker, with her dog Jacob, looks up at the sky as smoke from the Creek Fire fills the air Monday, Sept. 7, 2020, in Shaver Lake, Calif. Croker was among a group of campers being held in a marina in Shaver Lake as roads were deemed impassable due to the Creek Fire.
A home is engulfed in flames during the “Creek Fire” in the Tollhouse area of unincorporated Fresno County, California early on September 8, 2020. – Wildfires in California have torched a record more than two million acres, the state fire department said on September 7, as smoke hampered efforts to airlift dozens of people trapped by an uncontrolled blaze.
Creek Fire burns near Shaver Lake on Sunday, September 6, 2020.
Workers spray lake water over boats as Creek Fire burns near Shaver Lake on Sunday, September 6, 2020.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, center, tours the fire damage to Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020, in Boulder Creek, Calif.
Aerial fire crews attack the Sequoia Fire behind a back fire on Thursday, August 27, 2020. The unconfined Sequoia Fire has burned more than 20,000 acres in the Golden Trout Wilderness area.
Tulare County Fire Department works in Forks of the Kern Trailhead during the Sequoia Fire on Thursday, August 27, 2020. The Sequoia Fire has burned more than 20,000 acres in the Golden Trout Wilderness area.
A fire-ravaged neighborhood is seen Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020, in Boulder Creek, Calif., after the the CZU August Lightning Complex Fire passed by.
A thank you sign is posted along Empire Grade Rd. Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020, in Bonny Doon, Calif., after the the CZU August Lightning Complex Fire passed by.
A ‘Vaca Strong’ message is painted onto a burned hillside during the LNU Lightning Complex fire in Vacaville, California on August 24, 2020.
A burned residence is seen during the LNU Lightning Complex fire in Vacaville, California on August 24, 2020.
Fire burns in the hollow of an old-growth redwood tree after the CZU August Lightning Complex Fire passed through Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Calif.
Flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires leap above Butts Canyon Rd. on Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020, in Lake County, Calif.
Howard Forest Helitack firefighters return to their helicopter after battling the LNU Lightning Complex on Aug. 23 in unincorporated Lake County, Calif.
Firefighters watch flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in the Berryessa Estates neighborhood of unincorporated Napa County, Calif., on Friday, Aug. 21, 2020. The blaze forced thousands to flee and destroyed hundreds of homes and other structures.
The shell of a burned-out car along Pleasant Valley Road near Winters, Calif., on Aug. 21, 2020.
This combination of handout satellite images released by Maxar Technologies created on August 21, 2020 shows a large area covered in thick smoke (top) and the same area seen by high-resolution shortwave infrared (SWIR) satellite (bottom) showing burned vegetation appearing in a rust/orange color while healthy vegetation appears in shades of blue and active fires from the CZU Lightning Complex Wildfire burning glow orange/yellow in the Santa Cruz mountains, Calif. on Aug. 21, 2020. Thick smoke blanketed large areas of central and northern California on August 21 as more people fled some of the biggest fires in the state’s history which have raged largely uncontrolled through the week. Fire officials said lightning strikes had ignited 560 fires in the past week, the largest of which are the LNU, the SCU and CZU complex fires in the Bay Area.
Firefighter monitor the advance of the CZU August Lightning Complex Fire in the backyard of a home Friday, Aug. 21, 2020, in Boulder Creek, Calif.
Melted wall siding sits along Pleasants Valley Road in Solano County, Calif. on Friday, Aug. 21, 2020. The LNU Lightning Complex fire has destroyed nearly 500 structures and has burned more than 20,000 acres.
Firefighters battle the CZU August Lightning Complex Fire in the backyard of a home Friday, Aug. 21, 2020, in Boulder Creek, Calif.
A firefighter watches the LNU Lightning Complex Fire spread through the Berryessa Estates neighborhood of unincorporated Napa County, Calif., on Aug. 21. The blaze forced thousands to flee and destroyed hundreds of homes and other structures.
Local residents sit next to a vineyard as they watch the LNU Lightning Complex fire burning in nearby hills on August 20, 2020 in Healdsburg, California. The LNU Lightning Complex fire is spread over 5 counties and has burned over 130,000 acres. The out-of-control wildfire has destroyed at least 50 homes and is zero percent contained.
Peter Koleckar is overwhelmed by the sight of multiple homes burned in his neighborhood after the CZU August Lightning Complex Fire passed through Aug. 20 in Bonny Doon, Calif.
Flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires burn in unincorporated Napa County, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020. The blaze went on to destroy multiple homes near Lake Berryessa. Fire crews across the region scrambled to contain dozens of wildfires sparked by lightning strikes as a statewide heat wave continues.
A Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS) equipped C-130 aircraft drops retardant ahead of the LNU Lightning Complex fire on August 20, 2020 in Healdsburg, California. The LNU Lightning Complex fire is spread over 5 counties and has burned over 130,000 acres. The out-of-control wildfire has destroyed at least 50 homes and is zero percent contained.
Flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires consume a home in unincorporated Napa County, Calif., on Aug. 19, 2020. Fire crews across the region scrambled to contain dozens of wildfires sparked by lightning strikes.
Flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires jump Interstate 80 in Vacaville, Calif., Aug. 19, 2020. The highway was closed in both directions shortly afterward.
Docked boats burn on Lake Berryessa during the LNU Lightning Complex Fire in Napa, Calif., on Aug. 19.
Flames and smoke overtake a tree as the LNU Lightning Complex fire continues to spread in Fairfield, California on Aug. 19, 2020.
Fire crews maintain a backburn to control the River Fire near the Las Palmas neighborhood in Salinas, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020. (AP Photo/Nic Coury) ORG XMIT: CANC112
FAIRFIELD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 19: An alpaca sits next to a burned out truck after the LNU Lightning Complex fire moved through the area on August 19, 2020 in Fairfield, California. The LNU Lightning Complex fire is spread over 5 counties and has burned over 124,000 acres. The out-of-control wildfire has destroyed at least 50 homes and is zero percent contained. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775548296 ORIG FILE ID: 1267276291
Members of the Grizzly Firefighters work against the Carmel Fire near Carmel Valley, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020.
Firefighter Ian Johnson watches as an air tanker drops retardant to keep the River Fire from reaching a home in Salinas, Calif., on Monday, Aug. 17, 2020. Fire crews across the region scrambled to contain dozens of blazes sparked by lightning strikes as a statewide heat wave continues.
Inmate firefighters rest during a break from working against the River Fire in Salinas, Calif., Monday, Aug. 17, 2020. Fire crews across the region scrambled to contain dozens of blazes sparked by lightning strikes as a statewide heat wave continues.
Inmate firefighters rest during a break from battling the River Fire in Salinas, Calif., Monday, Aug. 17, 2020. Fire crews across the region scrambled to contain dozens of blazes sparked by lightning strikes as a statewide heat wave continues.
Inmate firefighters rest during a break from battling the River Fire in Salinas, Calif., Monday, Aug. 17, 2020. Fire crews across the region scrambled to contain dozens of blazes sparked by lightning strikes as a statewide heat wave continues.
A plume rises over a vineyard in unincorporated Napa County as the Hennessey Fire burns on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020. Fire crews across the region scrambled to contain dozens of blazes sparked by lightning strikes as a statewide heat wave continues.
An inmate firefighter rests during a break from battling the River Fire in Salinas, Calif., Monday, Aug. 17, 2020. Fire crews across the region scrambled to contain dozens of blazes sparked by lightning strikes as a statewide heat wave continues.
A helicopter carrying water to drop on the the Carmel Fire flies over Georis Winery near Carmel Valley, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020.
A vehicle drives along Knoxville Road, with flames from the LNU Lightning Complex in the background Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020, in Napa County, Calif. The blaze went on to destroy multiple homes near Lake Berryessa. Fire crews across the region scrambled to contain dozens of blazes sparked by lightning strikes as a statewide heat wave continues.
Jerry Kuny sprays water on a home as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020, in unincorporated Napa County, Calif. This home remained standing as main front passed although the fire went on to destroy multiple residences.
Seen in a long exposure photograph, embers burn along a hillside as the LNU Lightning Complex fires tear through unincorporated Napa County, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020. Fire crews across the region scrambled to contain dozens of wildfires sparked by lightning strikes as a statewide heat wave continues.
An orange, smoke-filled sky from the Jones Fire silhouettes Highway 49 on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020, near Grass Valley, Calif.
Members of the Grizzly Firefighters fight the Carmel Fire near Carmel Valley, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020.
An outbuilding burns as the LNU Lightning Complex fires tear through the Spanish Flat area of unincorporated Napa County, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020. Fire crews across the region scrambled to contain dozens of wildfires sparked by lightning strikes as a statewide heat wave continues.
An air tanker drops retardant as the LNU Lightning Complex fires tear through the Spanish Flat community in unincorporated Napa County, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020. Fire crews across the region scrambled to contain dozens of wildfires sparked by lightning strikes as a statewide heat wave continues.
Bill Nichols, 84, works to save his home as the LNU Lightning Complex fires tear through Vacaville, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020. Nichols has lived in the home for 77 years. Fire crews across the region scrambled to contain dozens of wildfires sparked by lightning strikes as a statewide heat wave continues.
A firefighter holds a hose on Cachagua Road as he and colleagues work against the Carmel Fire near Carmel Valley, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020.
Burned vehicles rest beneath a tree after the LNU Lightning Complex fires tore through Vacaville, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020. Fire crews across the region scrambled to contain dozens of wildfires sparked by lightning strikes as a statewide heat wave continues.
Smoke from wildfires hangs over San Francisco, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020. Thousands of people are under orders to evacuate regions around the San Francisco Bay Area as nearly 40 wildfires blaze throughout the state. Smoke has blanketed the city of San Francisco and California is coping with a blistering heat wave.
106/106 SLIDES
The fire ranks among the largest in county history. The largest, the Station Fire in 2009, burned 250 square miles, killed two firefighters and burned almost 100 homes.
Since the beginning of the year, there have been over 7,900 wildfires that have burned over 3.5 million acres in California. Since Aug. 15, when California’s fire activity elevated amid dry and windy conditions and a plethora of lightning strikes, there have been 26 fatalities and over 6,100 structures destroyed.
There has been some good news in recent days – at least for Californians. Millions of them got a brief respite from smoky skies Sunday as westerly winds pushed smoke toward the east. The smoke is moving through the Great Plains, according to the National Weather Service.
“What benefits us is harming others. Someone has to be downwind,” said Brandt Maxwell, a National Weather Service meteorologist.
At least 80 major fires are currently burning across a dozen Western states, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Oregon also has been hard hit: More than 1,500 square miles have burned. The Almeda Fire, just north of the California border, destroyed more than 2,000 homes before being 100% contained.
The Oregonian reports that at least six men across the state have been accused of intentionally setting fires in recent weeks, although only one involved a fire that burned homes and businesses. Michael Jarrod Bakkela is charged with setting a fire Sept. 8 that damaged 15 properties, threatened the lives of 14 people in neighborhoods near Medford – and contributed to the catastrophic Almeda Fire.
None of the six accused men have ties to left- or right-wing groups or appear to have been motivated by politics, The Oregonian said.
In Colorado, wind chased Cameron Peak Fire firefighters from battling the blaze and allowed for one of the fire’s largest runs in weeks, authorities said. The fire has burned more than 160 square miles and overran one of the crucial fire lines defending thousands of homes, according to Cory Carlson, the fire’s planning operations trainee.
In Wyoming, the Mullen Fire was threatening the Rob Roy Reservoir, which provides water for the the city of Cheyenne.
Contributing:Colin Atagi, Palm Springs Desert Sun;Miles Blumhardt, Fort Collins Coloradoan
Some Californians see clear skies at last: Major wildfires continue to rage
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ‘It was so terrifying’: Bobcat wildfire destroys homes, LA nature center; 6 in hard-hit Oregon accused of starting blazes
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