The 1,300 people fighting the Idaho blaze include 600 soldiers from Fort Hood, Texas, along with firefighters from the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Fish and Wildlife Service. Meanwhile, in Montana, firefighters are battling 20 large fires, some of which are threatening homes and other structures. Several fierce wildfires in southwestern Montana's Bitterroot Valley have forced hundreds of residents from their homes and destroyed at least 73 buildings, including 51 homes. Canadian firefighters are in Montana, and Mexico sent a crew over the border into New Mexico. New Zealand and Australia may also send reinforcements, the National Interagency Fire Center said.
Helicopters drop water on the flames as firefighters look on.
California fire authorities said they are progressing well on the six fires burning in that state, most of which are at least 70 percent contained. Authorities said they hope to contain all six fires by Friday. In Colorado, three large fires are burning, including one in Mesa Verde National Park. The blaze is the second major fire of the season for the park, which is the largest archaeological preserve in the United States. Fire crews held the blaze to 5,000 acres on Tuesday and said they should achieve 40 or 50 percent containment by Wednesday.