The Latest: Central Idaho wildfire expands in remote area

YREKA, Calif. – The Latest on wildfires burning in the West (all times local):

3:20 p.m.

A 160-square-mile wildfire in central Idaho is continuing to grow to the northwest but fire managers say progress has been made with control lines on the west and northwest perimeters.

About 1,800 firefighters are fighting the blaze Thursday that’s burning in remote, mountainous country near Lowman. Some low level evacuation notices remain in place in the area. The fire is 38 per cent contained.

In eastern Idaho, an 81-square-mile rangeland wildfire burning grass, brush and juniper is spreading to the east and south due to high winds and low humidity.

No evacuations are in place but the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office has contacted some homeowners east of Idaho Falls and asked that they be prepared to go if the fire heads their way.

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9:15 a.m.

California’s newest wildfire has chased hundreds of people from their homes in Siskiyou County near the Oregon border.

Cal Fire says the blaze that broke out Wednesday just north of Yreka has burned about 400 acres of timber and forced the closure of State Route 263.

It’s one of 9 major wildfires being fought Thursday by nearly 12,000 firefighters across the state.

A week-old, 50-square-mile blaze north of Santa Barbara is still growing as it feeds on extremely dry fuels in Los Padres National Forest. It’s less than half contained.

Campgrounds are shut down in Sequoia National Forest because of a 41-square mile fire in Kern County that’s just 15 per cent contained after more than a week.

And a 500-acre fire that destroyed two Humboldt County homes since it broke out Monday is just 10 per cent surrounded.

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9:30 a.m.

The South Entrance to Yellowstone National Park is expected to remain closed into this weekend because of a fire burning in neighbouring Grand Teton National Park.

However, cooler, damper weather has moderated fires burning in Yellowstone, and officials say all events planned this week for the National Park Service centennial are going on without a hitch.

Four fires are burning in Yellowstone. The biggest has burned about 47 square miles, but all major tourist facilities and roads are open and visitors shouldn’t notice anything more than some hazy conditions.

In Grand Teton, firefighters are having a tough time trying to douse a fire that has closed the road leading to Yellowstone’s South Entrance.

Fire spokeswoman Karen Miranda says the fire remains active and more firefighters are being brought in.

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7:15 a.m.

Authorities say more than 1,800 homes are threatened by a destructive wildfire that continues to grow on California’s central coast.

Cal Fire said Thursday that the blaze has charred more than 68 square miles of dry brush and timber and destroyed 48 homes.

The fire was 39 per cent surrounded and at least 2,400 people are under evacuation orders in San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties.

The popular tourist attraction Hearst Castle remains closed because of its proximity to the flames.

A fire burning for more than a month north of Big Sur grew again to nearly 142 square miles. Hundreds of homes remain threatened by the fire in rugged wilderness coast along Highway 1. The blaze was sparked by an illegal campfire. It remains 60 per cent contained.