In brief: More than 1,000 homes lost to fires
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The tally of homes destroyed by two massive Northern California wildfires topped 1,000 Saturday after authorities doing damage assessments in the Sierra Nevada foothills counted another 250 houses destroyed by flames still threatening thousands of more structures.
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Daniel Berlant said the count of 511 homes destroyed by the blaze burning for more than a week in Amador and Calaveras counties comes as firefighters make progress and damage inspection teams have access to affected areas.
Cal Fire had reported 252 homes destroyed as of Friday night by the fire that has charred 110 square miles.
The fire, which killed at least two people, was 67 percent contained but still threatening another 6,400 structures.
A separate blaze in Lake County, about 170 miles northwest, destroyed at least 585 homes and burned hundreds of other structures. It has killed three people.
The Lake County fire tore through 62 square miles in 12 hours, causing thousands of residents to flee after it ignited a week ago. About 19,000 people were ordered to evacuate. The blaze had charred 116 square miles and was 50 percent contained Saturday.
Heat was descending again on the two fires after a few days of fair and favorable conditions, raising fears that major gains could be undone.
Military plane crashes in desert
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – A military aircraft crashed in the New Mexico desert northwest of Las Cruces International Airport during a training flight Saturday, injuring at least one person aboard, according to local officials.
Las Cruces Fire Department spokesman Lt. Mike Martinez said the flight was a training aircraft and a student and instructor were aboard the aircraft and ejected before the crash.
Martinez said at least one of the two people aboard sustained minor injuries and had to be taken to a hospital, but didn’t have further details.
Ethanol tankers derail; no injuries
SCOTLAND, S.D. – Seven ethanol tanker cars derailed and at least one caught fire Saturday morning in southeastern South Dakota, BNSF Railway said. The company said no one was hurt.
The 98-car train carrying ethanol derailed about 6:15 a.m. in a rural part of Bon Homme County awash in corn fields between the towns of Scotland and Lesterville, BNSF spokesman Andy Williams said. There were no injuries and no nearby structures were threatened by the fire, he said.
Williams said three tankers were compromised and lost their contents, but crews haven’t determined which of those three actually caught fire. Officials aren’t sure what caused the derailment over a small bridge that spans a dry creek.
Beatles contract fetches $93,750
NEW YORK – A New York auction house says it has sold the first recording contract ever signed by the Beatles for more than $90,000.
Heritage Auctions said the 1961 contract was for a recording of a rock ’n’ roll version of “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean.”
The single from the recording session in Hamburg was released only in Germany. But it led to the Beatles being discovered by manager Brian Epstein.
The session was before Ringo Starr joined the Beatles. Drummer Pete Best signed the contract along with John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison.
Heritage Auctions did not identify the buyer who paid $93,750.