Massive wildfires burning through California, Montana
A stubborn wildfire in Montana is interrupting vacation plans at Glacier National Park.
Since Tuesday, at least 4,000 acres have burned, forcing hundreds to evacuate campgrounds and hotels.No one has been hurt.
Another wildfire is burning near California's Napa Valley wine country.
Massive lines of flames chewed up the rugged hillsides, fanned by 15- to 20-mile per hour winds. The fire created what looked like a thundercloud of smoke. Animals in this rural area fled the flames, which sneaked up on Christina Haefner.
"I saw a red glow. About another 40 minutes later it was up and over the ridge and headed straight towards us," she said.
Investigators believe the wildfire began with a fire from a car crash on a nearby highway Wednesday afternoon.
It quickly spread from 25 acres to 6,000 in just a few hours.
But an all-out aerial bombardment and 1,300 firefighters on the ground dramatically slowed the flames. Nearby Lake Berryessa has allowed water-dropping helicopters to fill up faster and drop their 324-gallon payload. CAL FIRE's Joe Fletcher says they are watching nearby vegetation dried out by drought.
He was asked if there is concern that just an ember could start the fire.
"One of the reasons the road is still closed is because as the fire continues to burn in that drainage, the wind is carrying embers as far away as this road," said Fletcher.
There are at least 20 large wildfires now burning in the west. In Montana's Glacier National Park, flames have torn through the dry mountains, forcing one family to quickly escape.
"Oh my gosh, go go now," said Lakota Duncan. "Fast dad, go."
Here in California, there is a lot of scorched earth but you can hear those helicopters above and that's part of why firefighters feel like they are getting a handle on this fire. The good news is so far there have not been any injuries and no homes have been lost.
