Finger-pointing as Utah wildfire grows to largest in US
William La Jeunesse reports from Los Angeles
SALT LAKE CITY – The nation's largest wildfire has forced more than 1,500 people from their homes and cabins in a southern Utah mountain area home to a ski town and popular fishing lake.
Firefighters battled high winds as they fought a fire that has grown to 72 square miles (184 square kilometers) and burned 13 homes — larger than any other fire in the country now.
Officials say that fire crews are expected to face dry, windy conditions Tuesday and a "high potential" for extreme fire behavior.
They say the estimated firefighting costs now top $7 million for a fire started June 17 near the Brian Head Resort by someone using a torch tool to burn weeds.
Crews in California, meanwhile, are dealing with two new powerful and fast-growing fires.