Calif. Firefighters See First Sign of Progress

At least not without major help from Uncle Sam

(NEWSER) - California’s wildfires haven’t just destroyed property and forestland, they’ve also scorched the state’s beleaguered budget, Time reports. Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't lay a finger on the state's forestry budget of $518 million, and more than doubled the state’s emergency fund for fighting wildfires this year to $182 million, but $108 million of that has already been spent. “We have literally burned through more than half of the emergency fire fund,” said a Finance Department spokesman. More»

Station fire, 42% contained, chars 148K acres

(NEWSER) - Investigators of a deadly Los Angeles wildfire are having a substance from the scene tested to confirm whether the blaze was man-made. “There was material that didn't belong there," a source tells the Los Angeles Times. "It was clear evidence that the fire was intentionally set." Even if negligence caused the fire, homicide charges are still in order after the deaths of two firefighters this week, said Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca. More»

With blaze having killed 2 firefighters, sheriff begins homicide investigation

(NEWSER) - The wildfire that has burned 144,000 acres north of Los Angeles was set by arsonists, the US Forest Service said this afternoon. With the blaze having killed two firefighters, authorities are now treating the matter as homicide, KTLA-TV reports, and the LA County Sheriff’s Department has begun an investigation. The fire, now 38% contained, has cost $27 million to fight, and has destroyed 116 buildings, including 64 homes. More»

Volunteers help evacuate exotic animals from threatened Wildlife Waystation

(NEWSER) - Volunteers leaped to the rescue yesterday as the gigantic Station fire approached a home for exotic animals north of Los Angeles. Rescuers drove trucks, horse trailers, and an 18-wheeler Budweiser truck to the Wildlife Waystation to help evacuate its tigers, lions, bears, ostriches and other animals to the Los Angeles Zoo and other locations, reports the Los Angeles Times. More»

(NEWSER) - The Station fire raging near Los Angeles is 22% contained tonight, authorities tell the Times—though they caution that if the weather turns uncooperative again the blaze could worsen. Some evacuation orders were lifted. The Mount Wilson observatory and a nest of communication towers nearby were still threatened, however, and firefighters said the overnight hours could be crucial in saving them. More»