26/08/2013 13:17
Yosemite wildfire burns area the size of Chicago, threatens homes
A northern California wildfire grew to historic proportions early Monday, becoming the 14th largest in state history.
The sprawling Rim Fire, which has devoured nearly 144,000 acres, has scorched an area about the size of the city of Chicago while more than 3,400 firefighters try to rein it in.
Susan Loesch and Curtis Evans just started settling into their second home in California's Sierra foothills a few months ago. Now, they're worried it could go up in smoke as the massive wildfire spreads.
"This is kind of a little paradise up here for us. ... To think this would all be gone would be devastating," Evans told CNN Sunday.
Cradling their chihuahua, Cuervo, they prepared to leave the area on Sunday.
"It's scary," Loesch said. "You worry about the firefighters being on the line. ... It's overwhelming."
The wildfire, which remained 7% contained, was spreading primarily to the northeast and east and threatened to grow amid extremely dry conditions and hot weather.
After days of battling the blaze, things were looking up on Sunday, said Vickie Wright, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service.
"We're a long way from complete," she said, "but at least our boots on the ground are getting a better handle on it."
Several helicopters and air tankers were aiding firefighting efforts.
A top priority is stopping the fire from spreading further in Yosemite National Park.