Rain cools Colorado fires

Rains have cooled Colorado's wildfires, but more than a dozen wildfires elsewhere in the West continued chewing through bone-dry pine and brush as firefighters working through the holiday kept a nervous eye for fireworks and other hazards. Wildfires in Wyoming, Utah and Colorado on Wednesday sent haze and smoke across Colorado's Front Range, prompting air-quality health advisories as firefighters warned of growing fires in sparsely populated areas. In Colorado Springs, there was good news in the fight against the most destructive fire in state history. Light rains that fell overnight helped calm the Waldo Canyon Fire, which has scorched 28 square miles, killed two and destroyed almost 350 homes. Firefighters predicted full containment of the fire by Sunday, with more rain, cooler temperatures and higher humidity predicted through the weekend. The forecast wasn't as kind in eastern Montana, where a mammoth 380-square-milefire in Custer National Forest was gobbling up pine, juniper and sage with help from gusty winds. The fire has burned 16 homes. Firefighters gave the blaze "extreme" growth potential, with wind gusts up to 45 mph predicted. Temperatures were expected to reach the 100s. As firefighting efforts continued, holiday fireworks were canceled across the region. Colorado officials were calling off holiday displays from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs, while law enforcement was warning of hefty fines for people caught violating personal fireworks bans across the region. Residents in some parched areas were joining police.