Texas isn't the only one with wildfires, either

Besides the big news today and this weekend of Texas' wildfires, it seems California is fighting their own new fires, too. "TEHACHAPI, Calif. (AP) — At least three wildfires burned across tinder-dry Southern California on Monday, including one that had destroyed a dozen homes, threatened hundreds more and injured two firefighters, officials said. By far the largest of the blazes was the so-called Canyon Fire, burning near Tehachapi in Kern County. It was sparked Sunday when a single-engine Cessna plane crashed in the remote area. The blaze had chewed its way through 8,600 acres — about 13 square miles — of summer-scorched terrain and destroyed 12 residences, said Ron Oatman, a spokesman with the California Department of Fire and Forestry Protection. Additionally, the fire claimed 15 outbuildings and three recreational vehicles. Two firefighters were injured, though the extent of their injuries was not known. About 600 firefighters, backed by a DC-10 jumbo jet tanker and more than a dozen other aircraft, were battling the fire and about 10 percent of the blaze was contained. Oatman said about 650 homes across several rugged communities were told to prepare to evacuate. By Monday night, residents at about 170 homes had been asked to leave. The national statistics this year for weather and weather-related events is just going to be "off the charts", so to speak, when this year closes out. Links: http://news.yahoo.com/parched-conditions-fuel-southern-calif-wildfires-034035535.html;_ylt=AuDqLRHRrzM8DnY22uqgbZe1qHQA;_ylu=X3oDMTFxZjl0N21zBG1pdANJbmZpbml0ZSBCcm93c2UgVGV4dARwb3MDNQRzZWMDTWVkaWFJbmZpbml0ZUJyb3dzZUxpc3Q-;_ylg=X3oDMTJwZnFkdWM5BGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDMjhlYzhjNjYtNTQyYi0zYzc3LTk4ZmItZTU1MGQzOWJlZTY3BHBzdGNhdAMEcHQDc3RvcnlwYWdlBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3; http://news.yahoo.com/officials-12-homes-burned-southern-calif-fire-025544886.html;_ylt=Arm4HQyQpPkYLIO2_N2VOse1qHQA;_ylu=X3oDMTFxa3RwMG0xBG1pdANJbmZpbml0ZSBCcm93c2UgVGV4dARwb3MDNgRzZWMDTWVkaWFJbmZpbml0ZUJyb3dzZUxpc3Q-;_ylg=X3oDMTJwZnFkdWM5BGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDMjhlYzhjNjYtNTQyYi0zYzc3LTk4ZmItZTU1MGQzOWJlZTY3BHBzdGNhdAMEcHQDc3RvcnlwYWdlBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3; http://news.yahoo.com/calif-crews-tackle-blazes-tinder-dry-terrain-070631445.html;_ylt=Aj2ORhkmxK44F8dpBhd4cqW1qHQA;_ylu=X3oDMTFxYmFrZzNuBG1pdANJbmZpbml0ZSBCcm93c2UgVGV4dARwb3MDNwRzZWMDTWVkaWFJbmZpbml0ZUJyb3dzZUxpc3Q-;_ylg=X3oDMTJwZnFkdWM5BGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDMjhlYzhjNjYtNTQyYi0zYzc3LTk4ZmItZTU1MGQzOWJlZTY3BHBzdGNhdAMEcHQDc3RvcnlwYWdlBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3