A firefighting airtanker drops Phos-Check fire retardant over the Gap fire as more than 1,000 wildfires continue burning across about 680 square miles of central and northern California, on July 3, 2008 near Goleta, California. (David McNew/Getty Images)

Although over 1,400 fires have been contained in California this season, there still remain 330 active fires, with warmer, drier weather in the forecast. As of yesterday (7/6) there were nearly 20,000 people involved in the firefighting effort statewide, and a large swath of California had been designated a federal disaster area by President Bush. ( 17 photos total



Firefighters from Santa Barbara's Engine 43 Los Padres National Forest, monitor the purposely set back-burn along Highway 1 in Big Sur, in an attempt to contain the Basin Complex fire to the east side of Highway 1 on Friday July 4, 2008. (AP Photo/Maria J. Avila - Mercury News)



The Piute fire burns out of control as more than 1,400 wildfires continue to burn across about 550 square miles of central and northern California, on July 1, 2008 south of Isabella Lake, California. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency in Kern County because of the Piute fire which is threatening several communities in the mountains east of Bakersfield, California. Firefighters have completed fire containment lines around 11 percent of the 11,500-acre fire growing in the Sequoia National Forest. (David McNew/Getty Images)



A firefighter walks away from a brush fire burning out of control in the Santa Ynez Mountains near Goleta, Calif., on Saturday July 5, 2008. (AP Photo/Phil Klein)



A U.S. Marine Corps CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter drops water over the Gap fire as more than 1,000 wildfires continue burning across about 680 square miles of central and northern California, on July 3, 2008 near Goleta, California. (David McNew/Getty Images)



Firefighter Mike Leslie of North Carolina is covered with ash after returning from fighting a wildfire in Big Sur, California July 5, 2008. Fire crews have successfully defended the village of Big Sur but have been able to contain only 5 percent of Basin Complex blaze, which has destroyed about 20 homes. (REUTERS/Robert Galbraith)



A firefighting Erickson Air-Crane helicopter drops Phos-Check fire retardant on the northern front of the Gap fire as more than 1,000 wildfires continue burning across about 680 square miles of central and northern California, on July 5, 2008 near Goleta, California. The 6,660-acre Gap fire is spreading across the chaparral-covered Santa Ynez Mountains of the Los Padres National Forest, drawing closer to many houses that were rebuilt after the 1990 Painted Cave fire destroyed 400 homes. (David McNew/Getty Images)



The Big Bear Hot Shots crew member from the San Bernardino National Forest stops to drink while cutting a fire line at the Gap fire, officially the top priority fire in the state, as fire pushes northward in Elwood Canyon to a ridge where it is vital that firefighters stop it, on July 6, 2008 near Goleta, California. (David McNew/Getty Images)



A forest smolders with the Piute fire burning out of control as more than 1,400 wildfires continue to burn across about 550 square miles of central and northern California, on July 1, 2008 south of Isabella Lake, California. (David McNew/Getty Images)



10 Tanker Air Carrier, a DC-10 jet converted to a firefighting aircraft, drops Phos-Check fire retardant over the Piute fire as more than 1,400 wildfires continue to burn across about 550 square miles of central and northern California, on July 1, 2008 south of Isabella Lake, California. (David McNew/Getty Images)



A firefighter uses a special gun to start a backfire on a wildfire burn in Big Sur, Calif., Thursday, July 3, 2008. The raging blaze near Big Sur was one of more than 1,700 wildfires, mostly ignited by lightning, that have scorched more then 770 square miles and destroyed 64 structures across northern and central California since June 20, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)



The Piute fire burns out of control as more than 1,400 wildfires continue to burn across about 550 square miles of central and northern California, on July 1, 2008 south of Isabella Lake, California. (David McNew/Getty Images)



Firefighters watch flames draw closer to back-country homes, rebuilt after being destroyed by a massive fire in 1990, that are again in danger of being consumed by the Gap fire as more than 1,000 wildfires continue burning across about 680 square miles of central and northern California, on July 3, 2008 near Goleta, California. The 5,400-acre wildfire threatens about 200 homes as it spreads through the chaparral-covered Santa Ynez Mountains in the Los Padres National Forest. (David McNew/Getty Images)



A firefighting airtanker drops fire retardant near homes along West Camino Cielo Road, Friday, July 4, 2008 in Santa Barbara, Calif.. The Golita fire has doubled to 5,400 acres and triggered more evacuations but has not destroyed any homes. Residents of more than 1,700 homes remained under evacuation orders. (AP Photo/The Los Angeles Times, Spencer Weiner)



A pair of U.S. Marine Corps CH-53e Super Stallion helicopters scoop loads of water from the Pacific Ocean in an effort to suppress a wildfire in Big Sur, California July 4, 2008. California firefighters held the line overnight on two wildfires burning along the California coast that threatened more than 4,000 homes and other structures, fire officials said on Friday morning. (REUTERS/Robert Galbraith)



A red sunset is seen in Pismo Beach, Calif. due to the smoke in the air from fires burning in the Santa Ynez Mountains and Big Sur, Calif., on Saturday July 5, 2008. (AP Photo/Phil Klein)



Firefighters monitor a burning redwood tree along Highway 1 in Big Sur, Calif., Saturday, July 5, 2008. Cooler temperatures and marine fog allowed firefighters here to gain some ground early Saturday on an obstinate wildfire that wiped out this world-famous coastal retreat's holiday tourist trade. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

More links and information:

Weather aids Calif. wildfires fight - Boston.com 7/7

With Pride, Californians Step Up to Fight Fires - NYTimes.com - 7/7

Life at Big Sur Fire: hard work, free fruit - SFGate.com (San Francisco Chronicle) 7/7

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Official site with situation updates

Map of current fires as of 7/6

