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of hope after three days of mounting damage, a sheriff said.
• After nearly doubling in size overnight, the fire held at about 25 square miles Thursday despite more swirling winds and bone-dry conditions, said El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa. "If it was a draw, then that was a victory today," Maketa said, "because we haven't had many draws lately."
• Little more than 36 hours after it started in the Black Forest area northeast of Colorado Springs, the blaze surpassed last June's Waldo Canyon fire as the most destructive in state history. That blaze burned 347 homes and killed two people.
• The day began somberly, with Maketa drawing audible gasps as he announced the number of homes lost. But by late afternoon, a film of much-needed clouds stretched out overhead, as Maketa and other officials described determined efforts to keep the conflagration from spreading to more densely populated areas to the south and west. In one instance, Maketa said, firefighters stood with their backs literally to the wall of a rural school building and successfully fought back the flames.
• "These guys just decided they were going to take a stand and save that building," he said.
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• NORTH BAY VILLAGE, Fla. (AP) -- The outdoor deck at a popular Miami-area sports bar partially collapsed during the NBA Finals, sending dozens of people into the shallow waters of Biscayne Bay.
• The accident occurred around 9:45 p.m. Thursday as customers were watching the Miami Heat play the San Antonio Spurs.
• Miami-Dade Fire Chief David Downey said 24 people were taken to area hospitals. Many had cuts and bruises, though one person suffered a fracture, a fire official said. Two people were in serious condition.
• Authorities said about 100 people were on the deck of Shucker's Bar & Grill in North Bay Village, north of Miami Beach, when it gave way.
• Sports bar customers -- and later rescuers -- helped people from the water amid yelling, crying and a rush to find people who might be submerged.
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