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| Fierce heatwave fans US wildfires | Fierce heatwave fans US wildfires |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A heatwave in the western states of the US has caused a string of wildfires, threatening homes and closing highways. | A heatwave in the western states of the US has caused a string of wildfires, threatening homes and closing highways. |
| Hundreds of people in the town of Winnemucca, Nevada, had to leave their homes on Saturday because of an 8,000-acre fire. | Hundreds of people in the town of Winnemucca, Nevada, had to leave their homes on Saturday because of an 8,000-acre fire. |
| In California, some 200 people were evacuated from homes in the town of Independence, on the eastern spine of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. | In California, some 200 people were evacuated from homes in the town of Independence, on the eastern spine of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. |
| Temperatures as high as 38C have followed a drier-than-normal winter. | Temperatures as high as 38C have followed a drier-than-normal winter. |
| Lightning strikes | Lightning strikes |
| Fires have also been burning in Colorado, Arizona, Idaho, Oregon and Washington state, the Associated Press (AP) news agency reported. | Fires have also been burning in Colorado, Arizona, Idaho, Oregon and Washington state, the Associated Press (AP) news agency reported. |
| The fire in Winnemucca, a town with a population of 8,000, threatened eight blocks of houses, reports said. | The fire in Winnemucca, a town with a population of 8,000, threatened eight blocks of houses, reports said. |
| "It's right up to the south edge of town," US bureau of land management spokesman Jamie Thompson said. "The fire definitely poses a danger to parts of the town. It's certainly got everyone's attention." | "It's right up to the south edge of town," US bureau of land management spokesman Jamie Thompson said. "The fire definitely poses a danger to parts of the town. It's certainly got everyone's attention." |
| In California, Fires were also raging near Santa Clarita and more than 400 firefighters fought flames which consumed 17,000 acres (6,900 hectares) of the two million acre (810,000-hectare) Inyo National Forest east of Yosemite National Park. | |
| Fires were blamed for several road accidents on a stretch of Interstate 70 near Richfield, Utah, including one in which two people were killed. Highway patrols blamed poor visibility from smoke. | Fires were blamed for several road accidents on a stretch of Interstate 70 near Richfield, Utah, including one in which two people were killed. Highway patrols blamed poor visibility from smoke. |
| Many of the fires have been blamed on lightning strikes in tinder-dry forest areas, after a mild winter which saw lower-than-average rainfalls. | Many of the fires have been blamed on lightning strikes in tinder-dry forest areas, after a mild winter which saw lower-than-average rainfalls. |
| The fires have come a week after raging blazes destroyed thousands of acres of forest near Lake Tahoe, on the California/Nevada border. | The fires have come a week after raging blazes destroyed thousands of acres of forest near Lake Tahoe, on the California/Nevada border. |