Thunderstorms, specifically lightning, sparked hundreds of fires in Northern California June 21, 2008. These are photos of the so-called West Fire, in the West Branch Feather River Canyon, just east of Magalia/Paradise Pines. They were taken June 22-30 in Magalia. Aided by a blanketing inversion layer that's kept visibility low, the now-3,000-acre has been smoldering about 2.5 miles from our house for nine days, causing preliminary evacuations for those that live along Magalia's canyon edges. Major breakthrough on June 30: The skies cleared enough for air support to fight the fire. During the early evening, three Army helicopters made run after run, filling their buckets in Magalia Reservoir, then dropping water on the West Fire, only to return and pick up more water as jubilant local residents looked on. This is just one of about 30 fires now burning in Butte County and an estimated 1,000 in the state. Cal-Fire says it doesn't expect full containment of the fires burning in Northern California until July 9. Photos by Alan Sheckter, AlSheck@comcast.net. Permission must be granted for re-publication.