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King Fire grows by only 5,000 acres overnnight as temperature dips

The Ironman Lake Tahoe was canceled because of smoke from California's massive King Fire, which has now burned almost 140 square miles.

By Frances Burns
The more than 5,000 firefighters struggling to contain California's massive King Fire got some help from the weather Monday. UPI/Al Golub
The more than 5,000 firefighters struggling to contain California's massive King Fire got some help from the weather Monday. UPI/Al Golub | License Photo

POLLOCK PINES, Calif., Sept. 22 (UPI) -- The more than 5,000 firefighters struggling to contain California's massive King Fire got some help from the weather Monday.

The fire grew by only 5,000 acres overnight. In little over a week, the fire -- still only 18 percent contained Monday morning -- has charred more than 87,000 acres or almost 140 square miles of forest and brush in the American River area northeast of Sacramento.

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The King Fire has burned 10 houses and forced thousands of people to evacuate.

"We really are doing all we can to beat back this blaze," Calfire spokesman Daniel Berlant told the Sacramento Bee. "There are still 12,000 homes threatened. Even though this fire has not grown at the same speed that it did the past week, there is still a lot of threat. The winds could pick up. The conditions remain dry. So, we are not becoming complacent."

The fire began Aug. 13 in Pollock Pines. A local resident, Wayne Huntsman, 37, has been charged with setting it.

The blaze remained modest in size for a couple of days. But hot dry and gusty weather fueled explosive growth.

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Sunday night, the temperature dropped and the humidity rose, giving some slight relief to firefighters. The Ironman Lake Tahoe competition, scheduled for Sunday, was canceled Sunday morning because of smoke enveloping the area. About 3,000 people had been expected to compete.

"It is bad. It smells and feels like you're inside of a barbecue grill," said Barrett Brandon, who had planned to do the Ironman. "It was a tough call but the right one."

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