By Ruben Vives

This fire might be won from the air. A squadron of 12 fixed-wing planes and 14 helicopters pounded the Holy Fire, an epic aerial assault that is showing signs of success. The hot conditions and unpredictable weather have made it difficult for firefighters to get ahead of the fire. But they have one big advantage: easy access to the water from Lake Elsinore, which they have used for countless drops. The short distance to the lake has proven a key factor in tamping down the flames.

— Amid California’s destructive year of fire, a pitched battle is underway over how much slack the Legislature should — or can — provide for the state’s utility companies facing liability under a strict standard they have been held to for more than a half-century. Industry representatives have warned that those rules, combined with the forecast of a hotter and drier California, mean that proactive fire policies won’t be enough to prevent the kinds of costs that could lead to bankruptcy. Los Angeles Times