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California Wildfires: Homes Destroyed as Crews Fight Two Blazes

Two separate fires in California have left structures destroyed and threatened more on Monday.
Image: Wildfires in Northern California
A burned out car sits near a home that was also burned as a result of the Sand fire in Amador County in Northern California, eight kilometers north of Plymouth, California, USA, 27 July 2014. The Sand fire destroyed some ten homes.JOSH EDELSON / EPA

Fire crews tamped down most of a wildfire that destroyed 13 homes and 38 other structures near Sacramento, California, and many evacuation orders were lifted Monday as fire crews hoped to have it fully contained this week. Meanwhile, a fire that has been burning in and around Yosemite National Park since Saturday remained only 5 percent contained Monday.

The Sand Fire in wine country near the state capital was 65 percent contained by Monday afternoon, the joint state-federal incident command team reported. Evacuation orders were lifted in many areas and others were downgraded to warnings as only about 500 structures remained under threat. In Yosemite, the "fast moving" El Portal Fire was still burning about 2,600 acres, its incident command team reported Monday evening, and evacuations remained in place for Foresta, a community of about 45 homes where many park employees live. The nearly 500 residents of Old El Portal were evacuated Sunday and also remained under evacuation orders Monday.

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