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U.S. NEWS Monday 24 July 2017
Crews stop spread of huge wildfire near Yosemite

posa, a historic Gold Rush- a population of about
era town, but more than 60 2,000, was coming back to
nearby homes and about life.
64 other buildings were de- Steve Valdez was back at
stroyed. work Saturday at a hard-
Nearly 4,500 firefighters ware store despite losing
fought the blaze using air his home of 17 years to the
tankers and fleets of heli- fire.
copters and bulldozers. “There are people out
The fire grew by up to 47 there who depend upon
square miles (122 square us to get power, to get wa-
kilometers) a day at its ter, to get their equipment
peak. But by the week- fixed,” he said.
end, the growth rate was Valdez, 60, and his wife
slowed despite dry, blister- had 20 minutes to grab a
An air tanker drops retardant while battling a wildfire near ing weather, Vaccaro said. few photographs, bills and
Mariposa, Calif. Crews contending with triple-digit temperatures The smoke blurred the sce- some family Bibles before
slowed the spread of an aggressive wildfire that destroyed nic vistas of Yosemite Na- they fled the encroach-
dozens of homes in a rural area of California near Yosemite tional Park, about 35 miles ing flames. When they re-
National Park, officials said Sunday.
(AP Photo/Noah Berger) (56 kilometers) west of the turned, only the home’s
fire. Tourists expecting the chimney was still standing.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Crews were allowed to return, but grandeur of falls and gran- They plan to rebuild.
contending with triple-digit flames continue to threat- ite peaks instead saw hazy The fire was one of more
temperatures slowed the en about 1,500 homes in gray silhouettes. than a dozen that have
spread of an aggressive Mariposa County. Some roads remained ravaged California in re-
wildfire that destroyed doz- The fire was 40 percent closed. But Mariposa, with cent weeks.q
ens of homes in a rural area contained, but officials
of California near Yosemite said it could take crews
National Park, officials said another two weeks to fully
Sunday. surround it.
The blaze burning for a “They are still out in front of
week has scorched just an uncontrolled fire, but the
over 118 square miles (305 fire isn’t moving at 30 mph
square kilometers) of dense (48 kph). The fire is crawl-
brush and dead trees in ing along,” fire spokesman
the Sierra Nevada foothills. Brandon Vaccaro said Sat-
Many evacuated residents urday. Flames spared Mari-

Dad of Colorado boy arrested

for boy’s 2012 death: officials

DENVER (AP) — A Colorado visit the previous Thanksgiv-
man was arrested Saturday ing. Dylan’s skull was found
in connection with the 2012 by hikers in 2015, and foren-
death of his 13-year-old sic anthropologists said the
son, police said. skull had injuries consistent
Mark Redwine’s arrest in with blunt force trauma at
Bellingham, Washington, two locations, the indict-
followed a grand jury in- ment said.
dictment for second-de- Surveillance video from the
gree murder and child airport where Dylan’s flight
abuse resulting in death. arrived shows little or no in-
Redwine is being held on teraction between the boy
$1 million cash-only bond, and his father, according
KDVR-TV in Denver report- to the indictment. Several
ed (http://bit.ly/2uLOZt4). witnesses said Dylan did
Mark Redwine and Elaine not want to visit his father,
Hall, the boy’s mother, had after the two argued and
gone through a conten- fought during his previous
tious divorce and custody visit.
battle. Mark Redwine has Text messages showed that
denied any involvement in Dylan had asked to stay
Dylan’s death. with a friend on the night
Some of Dylan Redwine’s of his arrival, but Mark Red-
remains were found about wine denied the request,
10 miles from his father’s the indictment said. Next
home in Vallecito in 2013. morning the boy’s friend
The boy had reluctantly sent a text to Dylan asking
traveled to be with his fa- “where are you” and got
ther for a court-ordered no response.q