S. Calif. wildfires merge into big blaze

[WhiteTara]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060715/ap_on_re_us/wildfires

YUCCA VALLEY, Calif. - Thousands of firefighters aided by aircraft worked Friday in fierce heat to keep two big wildfires from gaining a foothold in the heavily populated San Bernardino Mountains, where millions of trees killed by drought and bark beetles could provide explosive fuel.

The lightning-caused fires, covering more than 95 square miles combined, merged Friday afternoon. Wildfires can grow more unpredictable after merging, but in this case "there was no cataclysmic event," U.S. Forest Service spokesman Jim Wilkins said.
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Firefighters in southern Montana, mostly east of Billings, were battling a string of fires burning more than 140,000 acres, or more than 218 square miles. The estimate on the largest fire nearly tripled overnight, fire information officer Paula Rosenthal said.

More than 254 structures, including 125 homes, were threatened by the fires, and another blaze near Ashland destroyed at least four buildings. Firefighters were close Friday to containing a wildfire that destroyed five buildings earlier this week.

Meteorologists had bad news for firefighters in southern Montana and California's Mojave Desert and foothills: Both parched areas were expected to see weekend thunderstorms that could trigger more lightning-caused wildfires.

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