Largest fire grows, forces evacuation of wildlife station

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – The nation’s largest wildfire has torched more dry forest in Oregon and forced the evacuation of a wildlife research station. Firefighters had to retreat from the flames Monday for the ninth consecutive day due to erratic and dangerous fire behavior.

Authorities say crews were forced to pull back as the flames jumped fire-retardant containment lines and pushed up to four miles into new territory.

The destructive Bootleg Fire in south-central Oregon is just north of the California border. Fueled by winds and by bone-dry conditions, it has grown to more than 476 square miles (1,210 square kilometers), an area about the size of Los Angeles.