A preliminary assessment found 96 single-family homes have been destroyed in Southern California's huge wildfire, a spokesman said Friday. The fire has scorched nearly 58 square miles and was 26 percent contained as it entered its fourth day in mountains and desert 60 miles east of Los Angeles. In the southern Sierra Nevada, another blaze feeding on dense timber in Sequoia National Forest exploded to nearly 15 square miles. Last year's fire season set a record with more than 15,625 square miles of land charred. Decades of aggressively knocking down small fires also have led to the buildup of flammable fuel.

Source: ABC News August 19, 2016 08:25 UTC