Sprawling Oregon blaze expands, while firefighters gain ground

BLY, Oregon: Stoked by hot, dry winds, the largest of several dozen Western wildfires roared through more drought-parched brush and timber in southern Oregon on Monday after incinerating scores of homes, while firefighters gained additional ground against the blaze.

An army of 2,250 personnel battling the so-called Bootleg fire, raging in and around the Fremont-Winema National Forest 250 miles (400 km) south of Portland, had managed to carve containment lines around 30% of the perimeter by late Monday, up from 22% the day before, the Oregon Forestry Department reported. "We are fighting the fire aggressively, and there are active efforts to build a containment line, both direct and indirect, wherever it is safe to do so," agency spokesman Marcus Kauffman said. Ground crews, backed by water-dropping helicopters and airplane tankers, included reinforcements from at least 30 U.S. states he said.