Federal weather officials say drought and wildfire risks will remain elevated in the western states while warmer than average temperatures will greet the Southwest, Gulf Coast and East Coast this winter.

Firefighters made progress against a huge Northern California wildfire that was still growing and threatening thousands of mountain homes, while crews also battled major blazes Sunday in Oregon and Washington.

A father and son have been arrested on suspicion of starting a massive California wildfire that forced tens of thousands to flee the Lake Tahoe area earlier this year.

Firefighters faced a critical day in efforts to prevent a massive California wildfire from reaching the Lake Tahoe resort region, hoping to take advantage of calmer winds before hot, heavy gusts return.

After disappearing a month ago, friends and family of Heather Gumina Waters are now searching the wilderness around her home in El Dorado County. (CNN) - Authorities in California have found a car belonging to a mother of three who has been missing from El Dorado County for nearly a month. Gumina, also known as Heather Gumina Waters, has been missing since July 16, but the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office does not know where she was last seen, according to CNN affiliate KTXL. The sheriff's office said Friday that it had found the 33-year-old's black 2005 Infiniti G35. The sheriff's office previously said it thought she might be driving the car, which has pink accents.