Progress made against Texas wildfire -- but new blazes erupt

A helicopter helps fight a fire around Possum Kingdom Lake in Palo Pinto County, Texas, on Thursday.NEW: A high school and several homes in Noble, Oklahoma, are evacuatedIn Texas, the 101 Ranch Fire is 50% containedSome evacuations have been lifted, an official saysFirefighters still battling hot spots in Oklahoma CityAre you there? Share your photos and video, but stay safe.

Brad, Texas (CNN) -- Firefighters have made some progress in battling a spreading wildfire in northern Texas, but dry conditions contributed to a rash of new fires as well, officials said Thursday.

The 101 Ranch Fire in Palo Pinto County had scorched 6,200 acres as of Thursday, according to the Texas Forest Service. The blaze is burning on Possum Kingdom Lake, near the town of Brad, about 100 miles west of Dallas.

However, "we feel much better about this fire today" as the blaze is now 50% contained, said John Nichols, spokesman for the forest service. Some evacuations were lifted, he said.

The flames have destroyed 40 homes and nine RVs, the Forest Service said Thursday. Firefighters were receiving support from aerial tankers and helicopters.

Authorities are working on a re-entry strategy for residents, said Palo Pinto County Sheriff Ira Mercer, and they are trying to get the lake open for the Labor Day holiday.

On Wednesday, evacuations were ordered in several communities on the north side of the lake after the fire charged over a ridge and approached a dam on the lake, CNN affiliate WFAA reported. The Forest Service pulled out of its command observation post, telling journalists and onlookers to get out of the way of the flames.

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Tom Hardeston was among the residents watching helplessly. "My house is right through here, though it may be gone," he told WFAA.

Nearby ranchers battled to save their herds from the encroaching fire.

"I'm just moving them from pasture to pasture," Cindi McCoy told WFAA, referring to her livestock. "As one pasture burns, I'm moving them back to that one and bring(ing) them back around."

The Forest Service responded on Wednesday to 17 new fires burning a total of 4,146 acres. The largest of those is the Hornets Tank Fire, which had burned 3,000 acres and was 40% contained Thursday. It was burning in Briscoe County near Palo Duro Canyon, the nation's second-largest canyon behind the Grand Canyon.

In addition, the Legacy Fire had burned 3,400 acres in Howard County and was 10% contained Thursday, the Forest Service said. The blaze threatens numerous structures, but did not show much growth on Wednesday.

The weather forecast continued to predict mostly dry weather for the area, with high temperatures from the mid-90s into the 100s, the Forest Service said.

Texas is experiencing the worst fire season in state history. Since fire season began last November, a record 3.5 million acres have burned. Hot and dry weather combined with a historic drought have made conditions ripe for rapid fire growth.

In the past seven days, the Forest Service has responded to 224 fires burning a combined 31,541 acres.

Meanwhile, in neighboring Oklahoma, firefighters were battling hot spots Thursday from a wildfire in northeast Oklahoma City, Fire Chief Keith Bryant said. National Guard helicopters were assisting, Bryant said.

The blaze was one of two large brush fires that had covered more than 16 square miles on the city's north and south sides Wednesday, forcing some evacuations and closure of Interstate 40 and the Turner Turnpike. Both roads were later reopened, CNN affiliate KOCO said.

Thursday is "day three of very poor fire conditions for us," said David Barnes, Oklahoma County Emergency Manager. Firefighters, including some from around the state, are "kind of ragged," he said.

Barnes did not have an estimate on how many homes were lost on the city's north side. On Tuesday, a dozen were lost in that blaze.

Fighting the south side fire "went very well for us," he said. Three or four barns were lost, he said, along with one mobile home and one abandoned home.

In the nearby town of Noble, a high school and several houses were evacuated Thursday because of a spreading wildfire, authorities said.

Buses were called to the 880-student Noble High School when the fire moved close to the campus, said Grenda Lee, administrative assistant to the school superintendent.

Several agencies were fighting the Noble wildfire, police department communications officer John Lesher said.

The record-setting heat and drought plaguing Texas and Oklahoma -- as well as a heat wave experienced by other states -- result from abnormally strong high pressure over the Atlantic and Pacific.

The high pressure keeps the jet stream, typically a source of cooler air and precipitation, to the north, while winds funnel hot, tropical air into the south-central United States, according to NASA, which released satellite data Wednesday showing the phenomenon during July.

But the conditions persist, said CNN meteorologist Sean Morris. "The ridge of high pressure aloft refuses to release its grip. There are some subtle signs that it may weaken into next week and allow a tropical system to move into" southeastern Texas, he said. "This would have the potential to bring some very significant and beneficial rains to that area. But it looks like Oklahoma is going to remain high and dry."

CNN's Dave Alsup contributed to this report.

CNN

Progress in Thai, Cambodian dispute

Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya (L) and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Nam Hong (R) during a meeting in Jakarta on Monday.Indonesia helps hammer out a compromise Thailand and Cambodia have clashed around an ancient templeThe conflict has displaced thousands and left at least 20 deadThe two governments must approve the deal hammered out by foreign ministers

Jakarta, Indonesia (CNN) -- Thailand and Cambodia took a step Monday towards resolving a simmering border conflict around an ancient temple, Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said.

The solution will allow for the resumption of talks between the two countries and the deployment of an Indonesian observer team to the disputed territory if the two governments agree to the deal hammered out between foreign ministers, Natalegawa said.

Fighting along the turbulent border has raged since last month. Clashes around the Preah Vihear temple prompted displacement of thousands on both sides and caused at least 20 deaths.

Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and Cambodia Foreign Minister Hor Namhong met with Natalegawa for about three hours in Jakarta to iron out details of a plan to help ease tensions and prevent more clashes the disputed territory near the temple.

The package was proposed by Indonesia as chair of ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, during its annual summit on Sunday.

On the sidelines of the just-concluded summit, a breakthrough seemed impossible as Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen refused to back down from their sets of opposing conditions.

But after a meeting with host Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, both leaders agreed to let their foreign ministers stay another day for further talks.

Thailand had earlier refused to agree to a proposal that would send Indonesian observers to the disputed territory, saying Cambodia must first withdraw its troops from the area. Cambodia has rejected that demand, insisting that a team of Indonesian observers needs to be sent to the region.

The two ministers did not address the media after the Monday meeting but Natalegawa described the meetings as constructive and comprehensive.

Natalegawa later told reporters: "This meeting was very productive and exceeded my expectations. The agreement is at least on the ministers' level."

Both ministers will report Monday's discussions to their respective governments for approval, he said.

The proposed comprehensive solution includes a timeline but will need the final approval before specific actions may be set in motion, he added.

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Progress seen in budget talks, but no deal

By Carolyn Kaster, AP

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, flanked by Rep. Duncan Hunter, left, discusses spending cuts Thursday.

EnlargeCloseBy Carolyn Kaster, AP

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, flanked by Rep. Duncan Hunter, left, discusses spending cuts Thursday.

President Obama said after a meeting Thursday night at the White House with congressional leaders that they made some progress, but no deal was reached to avoid a shutdown.

If no agreement is reached today, the government would begin closing its doors Saturday, blocking masses of springtime tourists from many of the nation's best-known landmarks, delaying some tax refunds and sending some 800,000 federal workers home.

Obama twice summoned Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker John Boehner to the White House on Thursday, to continue working to break their impasse on a spending bill to keep government running beyond midnight today when the current budget authority expires.

Both sides vowed to keep trying. In a joint statement issued Thursday night after an Oval Office meeting with the president, Reid and Obama said they had "narrowed the issues" but had not reached agreement. They said they would work through the night "to attempt to resolve our remaining differences."

Obama told reporters at the White House that he wants to announce a final agreement early in the morning — but he added that nothing is certain, and "I'm not yet prepared to express wild optimism."

Earlier in the day, Reid said the two sides were close to how much to cut spending to lower the federal deficit, projected to hit $1.6 trillion this year. He said Republican support for measures to restrict abortions and limit the Environment Protection Agency's reach remained significant obstacles.

Boehner said divisions went deeper, including over how much to slash spending. "There are a number of issues that are on the table, and any attempt to try to narrow this down to one or two just would not be accurate," he said.

Q & A: What could happen during a shutdownLOOKING BACK: Possible shutdown stirs comparisons to '95House Republicans passed a bill Thursday to keep the government running for another week and fund military operations through September. It would cut $12 billion. Senate Democrats immediately denounced the proposal, and Obama promised to veto it, calling it a distraction from negotiations.

Emotions ran high. Debate on the measure began with boos and loud applause from a full House chamber, as if they were filling rival bleachers on either side of a high school basketball court.

When Democratic House Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland asked for a "clean" bill, free of policy provisions, to fund the government for a week while both sides worked out a deal, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor rejected it.

"We don't accept the status quo," Cantor said to applause from fellow Republicans. "America is broke."

Obama previously has signed two temporary spending bills with a total of $10 billion in cuts as congressional leaders worked to end the budget standoff. Republicans have sought deeper reductions, totaling as much as $40 billion for the next six months, as well as measures that would limit the EPA's ability to regulate greenhouses-gas emissions from power plants and a proposal, pushed by Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., to ban the use of federal funds by Planned Parenthood, which provides medical care, contraception and abortions at 800 clinics.

Planned Parenthood officials note they cannot use tax money for abortions under federal law, and the group's president, Cecile Richards, denounced what she called "a small group of extremists" holding "the government hostage to their narrow political agenda."

But the measure's supporters said no federal money should underwrite a group that provides abortions.

"It seems like liberals in the Senate would rather shut the government down so they can continue to borrow money from China to support the biggest abortion provider in America," Pence said Thursday.

Even as talks continued, Obama administration officials began ramping up shutdown plans and warned it would shutter national parks, slow the tax refund checks for the 30% of filers who submit their returns by mail and stop the processing of small-business loans.

"The impact on the economy, even for a short period of time, could be relatively significant," said Office of Management and Budget Deputy Director Jeffrey Zients.

Employees needed to protect the safety of life and property would continue work, including FBI agents, air-traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration workers, who screen airline passengers. Obama and members of Congress still would work and get paid during a shutdown because their salaries are not subject to the annual appropriations process. The president earns $400,000 annually. Rank-and-file congressional members get $174,000, while top leaders earn more.

"It's very frustrating to be caught in the middle of this political theater," said John Gage, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents nearly 600,000 federal workers. "They have families and mortgages and bills to pay. Missing a paycheck is a tough thing."

Contributing: David Jackson

For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters

View the Original article

Progress seen in budget talks, but no deal

By Carolyn Kaster, AP

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, flanked by Rep. Duncan Hunter, left, discusses spending cuts Thursday.

EnlargeCloseBy Carolyn Kaster, AP

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, flanked by Rep. Duncan Hunter, left, discusses spending cuts Thursday.

President Obama said after a meeting Thursday night at the White House with congressional leaders that they made some progress, but no deal was reached to avoid a shutdown.

If no agreement is reached today, the government would begin closing its doors Saturday, blocking masses of springtime tourists from many of the nation's best-known landmarks, delaying some tax refunds and sending some 800,000 federal workers home.

Obama twice summoned Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker John Boehner to the White House on Thursday, to continue working to break their impasse on a spending bill to keep government running beyond midnight today when the current budget authority expires.

Both sides vowed to keep trying. In a joint statement issued Thursday night after an Oval Office meeting with the president, Reid and Obama said they had "narrowed the issues" but had not reached agreement. They said they would work through the night "to attempt to resolve our remaining differences."

Obama told reporters at the White House that he wants to announce a final agreement early in the morning — but he added that nothing is certain, and "I'm not yet prepared to express wild optimism."

Earlier in the day, Reid said the two sides were close to how much to cut spending to lower the federal deficit, projected to hit $1.6 trillion this year. He said Republican support for measures to restrict abortions and limit the Environment Protection Agency's reach remained significant obstacles.

Boehner said divisions went deeper, including over how much to slash spending. "There are a number of issues that are on the table, and any attempt to try to narrow this down to one or two just would not be accurate," he said.

Q & A: What could happen during a shutdownLOOKING BACK: Possible shutdown stirs comparisons to '95House Republicans passed a bill Thursday to keep the government running for another week and fund military operations through September. It would cut $12 billion. Senate Democrats immediately denounced the proposal, and Obama promised to veto it, calling it a distraction from negotiations.

Emotions ran high. Debate on the measure began with boos and loud applause from a full House chamber, as if they were filling rival bleachers on either side of a high school basketball court.

When Democratic House Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland asked for a "clean" bill, free of policy provisions, to fund the government for a week while both sides worked out a deal, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor rejected it.

"We don't accept the status quo," Cantor said to applause from fellow Republicans. "America is broke."

Obama previously has signed two temporary spending bills with a total of $10 billion in cuts as congressional leaders worked to end the budget standoff. Republicans have sought deeper reductions, totaling as much as $40 billion for the next six months, as well as measures that would limit the EPA's ability to regulate greenhouses-gas emissions from power plants and a proposal, pushed by Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., to ban the use of federal funds by Planned Parenthood, which provides medical care, contraception and abortions at 800 clinics.

Planned Parenthood officials note they cannot use tax money for abortions under federal law, and the group's president, Cecile Richards, denounced what she called "a small group of extremists" holding "the government hostage to their narrow political agenda."

But the measure's supporters said no federal money should underwrite a group that provides abortions.

"It seems like liberals in the Senate would rather shut the government down so they can continue to borrow money from China to support the biggest abortion provider in America," Pence said Thursday.

Even as talks continued, Obama administration officials began ramping up shutdown plans and warned it would shutter national parks, slow the tax refund checks for the 30% of filers who submit their returns by mail and stop the processing of small-business loans.

"The impact on the economy, even for a short period of time, could be relatively significant," said Office of Management and Budget Deputy Director Jeffrey Zients.

Employees needed to protect the safety of life and property would continue work, including FBI agents, air-traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration workers, who screen airline passengers. Obama and members of Congress still would work and get paid during a shutdown because their salaries are not subject to the annual appropriations process. The president earns $400,000 annually. Rank-and-file congressional members get $174,000, while top leaders earn more.

"It's very frustrating to be caught in the middle of this political theater," said John Gage, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents nearly 600,000 federal workers. "They have families and mortgages and bills to pay. Missing a paycheck is a tough thing."

Contributing: David Jackson

For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters

View the Original article