AP PHOTOS: Fueled by dry winds, fire rages in wine country

California Wildfires Photo Gallery (Noah Berger)

Giant blazes taking down buildings, residents fleeing their homes, exhausted fire fighters working around the clock: These are some of the scenes from the wildfire that exploded in the Northern California wine country

Fueled by dry winds The Glass Fire has raged through Napa and Sonoma counties, quickly tripling in size, burning homes and nowhere near containement. But fire officials were more confident Monday evening, when the winds eased a bit.

The dramatic images are a testament to the fierceness of the fire and the determination of the firefighters: a bright red streak in the sky marks the spot where an air tanker dropped fire retardant; an inn engulfed in flames lights up the sky; embers fly off a tree in a scene reminiscent of fireworks; a tired firefighter rubs his face as he leans against a fire truck; elderly residents being evacuated from a senior home are helped onto a bus.

The Glass Fire is one of nearly 30 wildfires burning around California and the National Weather Service warned that hot, dry conditions with strong Santa Ana winds could remain a fire danger in Southern California