CASTAIC, Calif. (AP) — California highway authorities reopened nearly all lanes of Interstate 5 in Southern California freeway Sunday as firefighters made progress on a wildfire. The fire remained completely uncontained, but firefighters were making “good progress” with the help of water-dropping helicopters and an aggressive ground attack, the U.S. Forest Service said. Meanwhile, residents of a Northern California mountain town devastated by the huge Caldor Fire south of Lake Tahoe will be allowed back Sunday to inspect the damage. Firefighters were diverted from battling the 342-square-mile (886 square kilometer) wildfire to fight multiple overnight lightning fires when thunderstorms swept across the state Thursday night into Friday. The second-largest fire in California history has burned 1,500 square miles (3,885 square kilometers) of land and more than 1,300 homes and other buildings.

Source: thestar September 12, 2021 03:58 UTC