Fire crews on both coasts of the United States battled wildfires Monday, including a blaze in New York and New Jersey that killed a parks employee and postponed Veterans Day plans, and another in Southern California that destroyed more than 130 structures.
Firefighters continued making progress against a wildfire northwest of Los Angeles in Ventura County that broke out Wednesday and quickly exploded in size due to dry, warm and gusty Santa Ana winds.
The Mountain Fire prompted thousands of residents to flee their homes and was 31 contained as of late Sunday, up from 26 the previous day. The fire's size remains around 32 square miles about 83 square kilometers. The cause is under investigation.
Some people have been allowed to return to their homes, "but road closures, evacuation warnings, and orders remain in effect in some areas," according to the Ventura County Fire Department. "Certain areas are open to residents only. As you return home, please watch for hazards such as live power lines and debris."
Meanwhile, New York State Police said they were investigating the death of Dariel Vasquez, an 18-year-old state parks employee who died when a tree fell on him Saturday afternoon as he battled a major brush fire in Sterling Forest, located in New York state's Greenwood Lake near the New Jersey line.
