The US federal government approved aid Saturday for California as thousands of firefighters battled to contain a series of deadly raging wildfires that have killed six people, including two young children and their great grandmother, and destroyed hundreds of buildings. The largest of the fires menacing the state has nearly doubled in size, while another pushed thousands of people to flee and a third forced the partial closure of the popular Yosemite National Park. Melody Bledsoe, 70, and her two great-grandchildren James and Emily Roberts -- aged just five and four respectively -- died as the fire consumed their rural trailer home.



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