California wildfires

"The sky is very dark, even in the middle of the day. It's a little scary," a man in Sausalito told The Associated Press. About 300 people have been forced from their homes.

A state report finds that the utility's equipment coming into contact with trees caused the fires that ravaged the region, including the wine country.

The Northeast dealt with canceled flights and power outages Thursday after heavy snowfall. Rain fell hard in Southern California and residents remained alert to the risk of mud and debris flow.

A nor'easter pounded the East Coast Friday. In California, a storm likely will drop feet of snow in the mountains, but a threat of major mudslides seems to have passed.

Cremated loved ones were in some of the thousands of homes incinerated by wildfires in October. Archaeologists and search dogs are now looking for lost urns and human cremains among the rubble.

Deadly mudslides occured in Santa Barbara County, Calif., after heavy rain pushed debris down fire-scarred hillsides. If it rains again, more debris could be swept down the mountains.

Thirteen people have been killed in Santa Barbara County, according to the fire department. The rain is causing mudslides on hills stripped by massive wildfires, and authorities are warning of floods.

As the year draws to a close and the news cycle continues to reset every day, let's pause and revisit some of the most important news events from 2017.

As California battles raging wildfires, "containment" is a term used often by firefighters and in media coverage. But how does it work?

The fire was again jolted by high winds, prompting a slew of voluntary evacuation orders in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.