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    Fire crews drop water unto the Ponderosa Fire from a helicopter near Mineral, Calif., Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012. The Ponderosa Fire was 57 percent contained, with full containment expected early next week. The blaze threatened 900 other homes Thursday as it burned a new front to the south. More than 2,500 firefighters are battling the wildfire, which grew to 44 square miles in the hills about 25 miles southeast of Redding. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

    Fire crews drop water unto the Ponderosa Fire from a helicopter near Mineral, Calif., Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012. The Ponderosa Fire was 57 percent contained, with full containment expected early next week. The blaze threatened 900 other homes Thursday as it burned a new front to the south. More than 2,500 firefighters are battling the wildfire, which grew to 44 square miles in the hills about 25 miles southeast of Redding. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

    Firefighters battle Calif. wildfire

    Air tankers and helicopters flew repeatedly into a deep rim rock canyon to douse the spearhead of a massive wildfire in Northern California and stop it from driving into a nearby mountain community and Lassen Volcanic National Park. (Aug. 24)