The Latest: California blaze grow, so does containment

MORGAN HILL, Calif. – The Latest on California wildfires (all times local):

6:30 p.m.

Fire officials say a blaze in the parched Santa Cruz Mountains in Northern California grew, but fire crews have increased containment in part thanks to cooler weather.

Cal Fire Battalion Chief Scott McLean said the wildfire had charred more than 4 square miles by Wednesday evening. It was 22 per cent contained.

McLean says evacuation orders were lifted for Santa Cruz County, but the blaze is still threatening 300 buildings.

He says evacuation orders are still in effect for Santa Clara County, where most of the buildings under threat are located.

One residence has been gutted by flames, and at least six outbuildings are destroyed.

The blaze broke out Monday during a statewide heat wave that brought witheringly low humidity and temperatures in the upper 90s.

Temperatures had dropped by 10 degrees Wednesday evening. The cooling trend was expected to last through the week.

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5:40 p.m.

Authorities have lifted some evacuation orders around a wildfire in a remote area of California’s Santa Cruz Mountains as cooler weather helped crews.

The 3 1/2-square-mile blaze has destroyed one home and is threatening 300 buildings, though it wasn’t clear how many were houses or smaller structures.

Mandatory evacuations ended Wednesday afternoon for Santa Cruz County residents, but road closures remain for people who don’t live in the area. Evacuation orders are still in effect for Santa Clara County residents.

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Sean Cassatt says a 10-degree drop in temperatures and increased humidity are helping in the fight. The blaze is partially contained.

Farther north, officials say a cigarette may have started a grass fire in the city of Petaluma that spread from the side of a highway into a row homes. It destroyed four residences and damaged 10 others.

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7 a.m.

At least 300 homes are threatened by a growing wildfire chewing through timber and dry brush in a remote area of California’s Santa Cruz Mountains.

Cal Fire says Wednesday that the destructive blaze south of San Jose has grown to more than 3.5 square miles. It’s just 10 per cent contained.

Evacuation orders are in place for residents of several canyons and other rugged areas, some accessible by only dirt roads.

One residence has been gutted by flames and at least six outbuildings are destroyed.

The blaze broke out Monday during a statewide heat wave that brought witheringly low humidity and temperatures in the upper 90s.

To the north in Sonoma County, crews extinguished a fire Tuesday that destroyed four houses in a neighbourhood in Petaluma. Several other homes were damaged.