Firefighters slowly gain ground against California blazes

Thousands of Californians are returning to their neighborhoods today to assess the damage left by wildfires that roared through the Sonoma area last week. Firefighters began to get the upper hand on the blazes over the weekend and expect to have them under control later this week, with the help of calmer winds and a little rain. At least 11,000 firefighters continue to battle 15 separate fires across a 100-mile swath of the state. But the number of residents under mandatory evacuation orders fell to 75,000, about 25,000 less than the day before. Residents in some places will not be allowed home until gas and power companies can restore service. The fires that swept through California’s wine country with little warning killed at least 40 people. Officials warn the death toll could rise as crews begin to comb through the rubble. Hundreds remain on missing persons lists, but officials believe many are safe and just haven’t checked in with family and friends. In Sonoma County, police located 1,560 of the more than 1,700 people first listed as missing. The fires have destroyed at least 5,700 homes and other structures.