Wildfires

Wildfires - Western USA

A wildfire that erupted near a destructive blaze in Northern California's rural, rocky hills expanded farther. The blaze had burned 9 square miles by Monday afternoon, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said. It broke out several miles away from the community of Lower Lake Sunday afternoon and quickly spread. Evacuations have been ordered for the fire that ignited Sunday and doubled in size overnight.

Authorities couldn't say how many homes were evacuated or how many people were told to be prepared to flee. Containment of the fire about 100 miles north of San Francisco was not in sight.

Firefighters and air tankers battling the bigger nearby fire were reassigned to attack the new blaze. No homes have been destroyed and no injuries have been reported.

Meanwhile, firefighters have nearly surrounded the larger blaze that started about two weeks ago and burned 109 square miles. That fire destroyed 43 homes, but all evacuations have been lifted. Students in the Middletown Unified School District could start classes next Tuesday, but it might be later depending on where the fire burns.

— Overcast skies and higher humidity helped fire crews get a preliminary line around a wildfire in Lewis County, Washington. Evacuations have been lifted and there have been no reports of injuries. While the cooler weather is helping firefighting efforts, crews are keeping an eye on the thunderstorms that are in the forecast for later Monday.

— Fire crews are working to control a blaze that has spread across nearly 2 square miles on Oahu, Hawaii, and led to evacuations. No structures were damaged Monday. Part of Highway 270 closed when a pile of timber caught fire.

— A fire that started nearly three weeks ago near St. Mary Lake in Glacier National Park has burned nearly 7 square miles and is more than halfway contained.