
In Focus
Destructive wildfires race across the U.S. West
Firefighters toiled in stifling heat Saturday on the lines of wildfires, making progress against some while struggling to tame others.

Goleta, California
Firefighter Jay Wilkens monitors a flaming shed and boat as the Holiday fire burns on July 7, 2018.
In heat-stricken Southern California, crews have built at least 80 percent containment on two major wildfires — one that destroyed 20 homes in Santa Barbara County and a central San Diego County fire that burned 18 structures.

Goleta, California
The sun rises behind a home leveled on July 7.
Powerful winds that sent an overnight inferno hopscotching through the Santa Barbara County community of Goleta vanished in the morning, allowing firefighters to extinguish smoldering ruins of an estimated 20 structures, including homes.





Guinda, California
Firefighters watch as flames from the County Fire climb a hillside on July 1.
The state's largest blaze, the 138-square-mile County Fire that is burning in Yolo and Napa counties, was 57 percent contained on July 8. It has destroyed 10 structures since it broke out June 30.






Strawberry Reservoir, Utah
Smoke rises from a wildfire near Strawberry Reservoir on July 5.
In Utah, more residents were allowed back into their homes Sunday after being driven out by a wind-fueled fire. The blaze burning near a popular fishing lake 80 miles southeast of Salt Lake City is now 30 percent contained, according to Duchesne County Sheriff's officials.

Duchesne, Utah
Burned structures caused by a wildfire near Duchesne on July 5.
The wildfire has charred about 75 square miles and destroyed 90 structures, including homes, since starting July 1.
Photos: Wildfires scorch drought-stricken West