Heat, Wind Threaten to Whip Up Growing Western Wildfires

YREKA, Calif. (AP) — Major wildfires in California and Montana have grown substantially as firefighters worked to protect remote communities amid hot, windy weather across the U.S. West.

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The conditions Sunday create the potential for even more spread.

The McKinney Fire was burning out of control in Northern California’s Klamath National Forest as erratic lightning storms swept through the region.

The blaze grew to more than 80 square miles just two days after erupting in a largely unpopulated area near the Oregon line.

In northwest Montana, a blaze sparked in grasslands near the community of Elmo grew to more than 11 square miles after advancing into forest.

Crews also are fighting a fire in Idaho.