Two L.A.-Area Wildfires Threaten To Merge After Forcing Evacuations

Two rapidly growing wildfires burning a few miles apart through drought-parched foothills northeast of Los Angeles prompted the evacuation of nearly 800 homes on Tuesday, as a heat wave continued to bake much of the U.S. Southwest for a third straight day. Abnormally high temperatures climbing into the high 90s and triple digits across much of the region helped stoke wildfires from the coastal hills outside Santa Barbara to desert brush near the Mexican border, and several other Western states. Fires also were menacing populated areas in New Mexico, Arizona and along the Colorado-Wyoming border.