Stubborn NM Fire Burns 50 More Homes

6 buildings destroyed so far

(AP) - A wildfire in Michigan's Upper Peninsula grew by 17% to more than 21,000 acres today as officials warned of tough conditions and welcomed help from water-dumping aircraft from the Michigan National Guard. Wind gusts were predicted at 15 mph and high temperatures were in the 60s in a dry, remote part of the state where access has been tricky because there are few roads. Tahquamenon Falls State Park, a popular destination for campers seven miles from the fire, was closed. More»

Hundreds evacuated; kennel fire claims dogs

(NEWSER) - Wildfires continued their blaze across West Texas today, though calmer winds allowed firefighters to make some headway. The weekend brought fierce gusts that carried the fires across 120,000 acres, reducing 80 homes to ashes and forcing the evacuation of hundreds of residents. Firefighters, support helicopters, and tanker planes are mounting a coordinated assault on the fires, but it may take days to get some of them under control. More»

(NEWSER) - 13,575 people have fled their homes as a wildfire that has consumed 1,300 acres rages in Santa Barbara, Calif., the Los Angeles Times reports. Another 13,000 are on alert, Bloomberg adds. Officials are unsure how many homes have been destroyed, but it’s in the “dozens.” “Today is another day of concern,” a fireman said. “It could be a mirror image of yesterday,” when high winds caused the blaze to spread. More»

But blazes seem to be dying down: firefighters

(NEWSER) - Two people have died after wildfires in Texas engulfed their property, CNN reports. Matt and Cathy Quinn are so far the only fatalities reported from fires that burned parts of Texas and Oklahoma yesterday. Matt Quinn was a former reporter for WFAA-TV, a local news station. The wildfires are petering out today, officials said, as winds die down, but they continue in some areas. More»

He's accused of lighting a fire that killed 21 people

(NEWSER) - The first suspect to be charged in one of the Australian blazes that killed as many as 300 people has been identified as a 39-year-old volunteer firefighter, reports the Times of London. He's accused of igniting a fire that killed 21 people 100 miles east of Melbourne. The suspect's identity had not been released earlier due to fears for his safety. Officials suspect at least one other case of arson in the fires that seared through thousands of acres. More»