Firefighters in stalemate against Calif. fires

by Rob Peters | June 29, 2008 at 03:50 pm | 317 views | 1 comment

Firefighters appear to be no better or worse in their fight against the hundreds of wildfires burning in Northern California. Even worse, officials are expecting a particularly long, fiery summer this year, so this is likely just the beginning.

SAN FRANCISCO - Firefighters in Northern California battled more than a thousand wildfires to a stalemate by Sunday, but forecasters said dangerous conditions would not relent anytime soon.

No new major fires had broken out by Sunday morning as fire crews inched closer to getting some of the largest blazes surrounded, according to the state Office of Emergency Services.

But a "red flag warning" — meaning the most extreme fire danger — was still in effect for Northern California until 5 a.m. Monday. And the coming days and months are expected to bring little relief.

Forecasters predicted more thunderstorms and dry lightning through the weekend, similar to the ones that ignited hundreds of fires a week ago. Meanwhile, a U.S. Forest Service report said the weather would get even drier and hotter as fire season headed toward its traditional peak in late July and August.

The fires burning now could take weeks or months to bring under full control, the report said.

Those blazes were mostly sparked by lightning storms that were unusually intense for so early in the season. But summer storms would probably be even fiercer, according to the Forest Service.

The blazes have scorched more than 550 square miles and destroyed more than 50 buildings, said Gregory Renick, state emergency services spokesman.

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Local news sources for Northern California:


http://www.redding.com/


http://www.chicoer.com/

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June 29, 2008 at 03:50 pm by Rob Peters, 317 views, 1 comment

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