Residents were told late Monday that they could return to some 1,000 mountain homes on the southern end of California's Sierra Nevada range as firefighters stunted the growth of a wildfire, one of several wildland blazes making problems for western states. All evacuation orders were lifted after firefighters had the blaze near Lake Isabella northeast of Bakersfield 50 percent contained, U.S. Forest Service officials said in a statement. The blaze has destroyed three houses, damaged another, and forced hundreds to flee their homes. At least two of the burned houses appeared to be abandoned, the forest service said. One other home was damaged by the fire, which charred more than 10 square kilometers of trees and brush in and around Sequoia National Forest and also threatened power lines and communications facilities. On Tuesday, firefighters were building lines all the way around the blaze, and helicopter water drops and expected calm winds overnight could have them off to a strong start. Meanwhile, on the New Mexico-Arizona border, residents of two Native American communities were forced to leave their homes as strong winds fanned the flames of the wildfire burning in the Chuska Mountains. The fire ballooned to more than 44 square kilometers, forcing Navajo Nation police to issue an evacuation order for parts of Naschitti and nearby Sheep Springs. Roughly 400 people live in the area, and fire managers said that more evacuations could be possible.
