国际英语新闻：Progress being made toward taming Los Angeles wildfire

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- Assisted by rising humidity and dipping temperatures, firefighters managed to slow the spread of a wildfire in northern Los Angeles, fire commanders said on Wednesday.

    The Station Fire has grown by another 13,000 acres (5,265 hectares) overnight, but its spread was being contained, said Capt. Mike Dietrich, the Station Fire incident commander.

Los Angeles County firefighters spray water to put out hot spots after setting a tactical backfire during the Station fire in the Glendale area of Los Angeles, California September 1, 2009.

As "excellent progress" was being made, the fire no longer posed an immediate threat to Mount Wilson , site of an historic observatory and radio and television transmission towers.

    The fire, which broke out near a ranger station in the Angeles National Forest a week ago, has now churned through 140,150 acres (56,760 hectares), is now 22 percent contained, Dietrich told a press conference.

A general view of the Angeles Forest National Mill Creek Ranger Station in ruins after day seven of the Station Fire September 1, 2009

 "Crews last night continued to work on all perimeters of the fire. The crews are making excellent progress, based on the improved weather conditions that we've experienced temporarily through the night," Dietrich said, referring to increased humidity, which was at the 50 percent level Tuesday night.

    The blaze killed two firefighters, destroyed 62 homes and three commercial buildings and, to date, has cost 21 million dollars to battle, Dietrich said.

    Dietrich said the fire zones and portions of Los Angeles now look "really good," and several strike teams and fire engines assigned to those areas will be released and allowed to return to their stations.

A group of deer are seen during the Station fire in the Glendale area of Los Angeles, California September 1, 2009

But Dietrich said some 12,000 homes and 500 commercial were still threatened by the fire.

    "Are we out of the woods? No. Have we turned the corner? No," Dietrich said. But he added that fire commanders can now see a "warning sign" that a curve was up ahead.

    Firefighters planned "aggressive" air and ground assaults Wednesday to expand containment lines around the fire and protect the structures it threatens.

A home that burned during the Station Fire is pictured in the Tujunga area of Los Angeles, California September 1, 2009.

Though mandatory evacuations were lifted Tuesday in parts of the fire zone, up to 1,000 homes remain under evacuation orders, according to the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Services.

    Fire commanders expressed optimism that the humidity level, which began increasing Monday night, would allow a second day of aggressive assaults on the blaze, as well as more backfire operations designed to safely burn some of the vegetation feeding the fire.

    The National Weather Service predicted there is a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms this afternoon in the San Gabriel Mountains, where the fire is raging.

    Touring the fire command post Wednesday morning, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said officials were working to help people who were affected by the fire to "rebuild their lives."

    "On Monday, I signed an executive order to boost the recovery effort," Schwarzenegger said. "We will waive replacement fees for very important documents, such as driver's licenses, birth certificates, and other important documents."

    "I am committed to directing every possible resource to help firefighters successfully fight these fires and help fire victims throughout the state get their lives back together as quickly as possible," said Schwarzenegger. "My Administration will work with our local and federal partners at every level to help all fire victims and their communities recover."

    Schwarzenegger also said he was asking the Franchise Tax Board and the Board of Equalization to assist victims with tax extensions, and to provide relief from various late fees.

    An investigation was still under way to determine the cause of the fire. But deputy incident commander Carlton Joseph said the fire was human-caused, but it's not known specifically how it was started or whether it was accidental or arson.