California fire officials say the largest blaze ever recorded in the state is now more than half contained.
But the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says Thursday it will still take several weeks to fully surround the massive wildfire in Northern California because it's burning in steep terrain that's hard to reach.
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Cal Fire says the blaze that has charred 475 square miles (1,230 square kilometers) of brush and timber is 51 percent contained.
In Southern California, a forest fire that's prompted evacuations in canyon and foothill neighborhoods south of Los Angeles continues to grow with minimal containment.
New evacuations were ordered Wednesday. Flames are creeping down hillsides toward homes in the city of Lake Elsinore, where crews are prepared to provide structure protection.
