As Calif. fires burned, copters grounded
618654
As wildfires were charging across Southern California, nearly two dozen water-dropping helicopters and two massive cargo planes sat idly by, grounded by government rules and bureaucracy.
54742
Firefighters were hampered by erratic wind and low humidity Monday as they made slow progress against a fire that had burned nearly 12,000 acres and four homes in the Northern California wine country.
528134
SAN FRANCISCO -- Firefighters are battling erratic winds and very low humidity, but making slow gains on a fire that had burned nearly 12,000 acres in the California wine country by Monday morning.
757274
LOCKWOOD VALLEY, Calif. -- Fire crews guarded homes and ranches Wednesday as a stubborn wildfire that has jumped containment lines crept within a half-mile of hundreds of dwellings.
135763
Firefighters gained the upper hand on nearly all of the California wildfires on Thursday as winds died down after five days battling 20 fires from the mountains north of Los Angeles down to the Mexican border.
465880
By AP  CASTAIC, Calif.  -- Firefighters face more hot, dry weather Sunday as they struggle to contain a wildfire on nearly 20 square miles of dry brush and timber in the Los Padres National Forest.   The blaze broke out Monday about 40 miles north of Los Angeles.
255825
SANTA YSABEL, California  - As California struggles to extinguish some of the state's most devastating forest fires, it has turned to a record number of prisoners for some of the most demanding work.
328218
A weekend of good weather means the fires are finally on the wane -- and the time to ask how California coped is here
720836
By CATHERINE TSAI  NEW CASTLE, Colo. - Crews used controlled fires to gain ground against an 1,800-acre blaze in western Colorado, but forecasters predicted more hot, dry weather and wind gusts on Thursday.
647388
Firefighters tightened their grip on a massive forest fire in northern California on Friday, with calm weather assisting efforts to contain the blaze, US Forest Service officials said.
440940
By Stephen Curran, The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, Calif.  Jun. 14--As temperatures soared Wednesday, emergency personnel took to land, water and air to battle two small fires in the North County and another near Arroyo Grande, all just before 3 p.m.
255195
As winds began to die down, the reality of this weekâs wildfires began to resonate for thousands of evacuees.
553299
Fires raged across Southern California, burning some houses to ground and sparing others in their path.
659814
Lighter winds and higher humidity have enabled firefighters in California to go on the attack more, but the fires remain worrisome.
472418
Arson investigations were under way in four California counties on Friday, as firefighters gradually gained control of wildfires that have burned nearly half a million acres this week.
66399
Firefighters made headway against 18 wildfires blazing across Southern California on Wednesday as hot winds abated for the first time in four days, but they were still battling to save entire neighborhoods from hopscotching flames.
444057
Firefighters hoped for high winds to abate on Tuesday, enabling them to start containing the fast-moving fires that have engulfed a massive swath of Southern California, claimed some 700 homes and sent thousands fleeing.