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chronic dryness hinders fight against west's fires
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_WESTERN_WILDFIRES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-07-08-03-12-45WINTERS, Calif. (AP) -- Crews fought through a rugged landscape, triple-digit heat, gusty winds, and the stark and chronic dryness of California's long drought to make hard-earned progress against a wildfire burning for its fourth day.
Such dry conditions have hurt the fight against other wildfires in Nevada, Idaho, New Mexico, Utah and Washington state.
In Northern California, crews were able to increase containment of the Monticello Fire to 45 percent from 35 percent in the steep mountains near Lake Berryessa in Yolo County.
More than 1,600 firefighters battling the blaze Monday gained on its front end as temperatures soared past 100 degrees, said state fire spokesman Chris Christopherson. The heat was expected to reach the 90s on Tuesday.