Helena, Montana - Wildfires raged across the US west yesterday as Montana officials closed a territory larger than the state of Vermont to public use in an effort to stop more blazes from starting.
Fire control officials said 65 large fires were burning in 11 western states. With resources stretched to the limit, teams of firefighters from Australia and New Zealand were expected to join the battle over the weekend.
Despite the conflagration which left some Montana towns so darkened with smoke that daytime drivers had to use headlights, officials said the efforts to contain the fires were beginning to make headway.
"For the first time in a long time we are ahead of the game, we are getting fires contained," said Ms Mary Stansell of the National Fire Information Centre.