CAPTION ONLY: FIRES ACROSS U.S. KEEP FIREFIGHTERS JUMPING

A narrow swath of dirt kept raging flames from consuming three homes under construction in the Autumn Hills subdivision, located about 20 miles south of Carson City, Nev. The Autumn Hills fire, which started Sunday, destroyed four homes and damaged a handful of others. Elsewhere in the nation, rain and snow helped firefighters gain the edge on a 4,000 acre wildfire that threatened homes near Lake Tahoe, while blustery winds kicked up much larger blazes in Arizona's tinder-dry forests. The Nevada fire was doused somewhat by an inch of snow that fell overnight around the lake. Rain fell throughout the day, helping firefighters on the scene since Sunday, when police said two boys playing with gasoline accidentally started the fire. The fire destroyed four homes and about 30 out-buildings before it began its march up the Sierra Nevada. In Arizona, erratic winds kicked up dust and smoke and slowed several thousand firefighters trying to contain wildfires that have burned more than 31,500 acres. A pair of wind-whipped fires along the north rim of the Grand Canyon blazed out of control, burning 8,200 acres so far. (Utah fire crews are forced to play Hercules, see Page B2.)