Added crews making progress on Midwest, Southwest fires

By MARGERY A. BECK and SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN
Associated Press

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Stiff winds remain a challenge but beefed up fire crews are making significant progress on a large prairie fire burning near the Nebraska-Kansas line. In the Southwest, lighter winds have allowed firefighters to keep flames from advancing significantly at big fires in Arizona and New Mexico where multiple blazes have charred a combined 225 square miles since last week. More than 200 firefighters are now battling the Nebraska fire that killed a former volunteer fire chief, injured several firefighter and destroyed several homes last week. Fire spokesman Terry Krasko says the biggest loss on Tuesday was a few hay bales. That fire is now 74% contained.