Nation IN BRIEF : THE WEST : Homes Damaged in Oregon Forest Fire

Residents of a rural canyon near Sams Valley in southwestern Oregon were barred from returning to inspect the damage to burned-out homes as a stubborn forest fire swelled to 7,250 acres. Across the West, 24 major fires still burning had covered 391,200 acres in Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho and Montana, according to the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Ida. The Hull Mountain fire in southwestern Oregon detroyed four houses and eight other buildings, said U.S. Forest Service spokesman Chris Friend. Firefighters estimated that the blaze, about 15 miles northwest of Medford, would be contained late Monday.