The Nation : Rains Douse Massive Oregon Forest Fire

Oregon’s largest forest fire in more than four decades was finally contained as a rainy weekend ended one of the longest dry spells on record in western parts of the state. Only about 100 firefighters remained on the line to keep watch on the Silver fire, which burned 96,540 acres since it was sparked by lighting Aug. 30 in the Siskiyou National Forest. At one time, the blaze was fought by nearly 1,800 firefighters. Meanwhile, thunderstorms in Arizona spawned downpours and prompted a flash flood warning for the western half of Mohave County in the northwest part of the state. Payson, in the middle of the state, received 1.86 inches of rain in six hours. High winds broke windows and brought down fences and trees at Gila Bend and knocked down power lines in Maricopa County near Phoenix. In southern Idaho, rain and the first snow of the season ended 79 days of no measureable precipitation.