SANTA MARIA, Calif. -- Wildfires barreled across the baking landscape of the western U.S. and Canada, destroying a smattering of homes, forcing thousands to flee and temporarily trapping children and counselors at a California campground.

Here's a look at the wildfires blackening the West.

British Columbia

Firefighters were contending with more than 200 wildfires in British Columbia that had destroyed dozens of buildings, including several homes and two airport hangars.

The three biggest fires, which ranged in size from 5 to 8 square miles, had forced thousands of people to flee. Rob Schweizer, manager of the Kamloops Fire Centre, said it had been an unprecedented 24 hours.

"We probably haven't seen this sort of activity that involves so many residences and people in the history of the province of B.C.," he said.

Northern California

In Northern California, a wildfire swept through grassy foothills in the Sierra Nevada, destroying at least 10 structures and threatening more than 750 homes.

The blaze about 60 miles north of Sacramento grew rapidly to more than 7 square miles and was nearly 20 percent contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The area burning was about 10 miles south of Oroville, where spillways in the nation's tallest dam began crumbling from heavy rains this winter and led to temporary evacuation orders for 200,000 residents downstream.

Authorities said the fire sent hundreds of people fleeing from their homes.

Southern California

Southern California residents and campers were sent scrambling as two fires exploded in size in Santa Barbara County.

Crews were getting a break from slightly cooler temperatures and diminishing winds Sunday as they battled the pair of blazes that destroyed structures and closed a highway.

One of the fires grew to 12 square miles, traversing a mountain range and heading south toward coastal Goleta.

There was minimal containment and flames shut down Route 154, which is expected to remain closed for days. At least 20 structures burned, but officials didn't say whether they were homes.

About 90 children and 50 counselors were stuck Saturday at the Circle V Ranch and had to take shelter until they could be evacuated. Buildings have burned, but officials weren't sure whether they were homes.

Crews also were using an air attack against another blaze about 50 miles north that exploded in size to 37.5 square miles. About 200 rural homes east of Santa Maria were evacuated after the fire broke out Saturday and was fed by dry gusts.

Elsewhere in the West

Firefighters have been able to build containment lines around about half the wildfire that forced the evacuation of hundreds of people near Breckenridge, Colorado. The fire has not spread since it broke out Wednesday and still was less than a square mile Sunday.

In rural Arizona, fire officials say three homes were among 10 buildings that were burned. The wildfire there has led to the evacuation of the town of Dudleyville, about 100 miles southeast of Phoenix.

A wildfire burning in near Summer Lake in south-central Oregon has destroyed a hunting cabin and an outbuilding.

In Nevada, fire officials have ordered evacuations for a wildfire near the same area where another blaze has burned for days.