SAN FRANCISCO

Cooler, wet weather helped firefighters make progress on a huge Northern California wildfire that destroyed nearly threedozen structures, forced the evacuation of more than 2,000 people and forced the cancellation of a sporting event because of the smoke.

More than 5,000 firefighters — from as far as Florida and Alaska — managed to increase containment of the fire from 10 to 17 percent on Sunday, said Capt. Tom Piranio, a state fire spokesman. The number of acres burned held steady at 128 square miles.

But earlier in the day, poor air quality forced a lastminute cancellation of two popular Ironman events in nearby Lake Tahoe, disappointing about 3,000 athletes who had signed up for the competition, Ironman operations manager Keats McGonigal said.

“County air quality officials have recommended that the event be canceled,” said a statement announced to participants.

The wildfire about 60 miles east of Sacramento started Sept. 13, threatening more 21,000 structures. According to preliminary figures released Sunday, the fire destroyed 10 homes and 22 outbuildings in the White Meadows area of Pollock Pines.

Piranio said assessment teams were headed back in the rugged, steep terrain to survey more damage.

About 100 evacuees have been allowed to return home, but some 2,700 remain under evacuation orders, state fire spokesman Daniel Berlant said. The fire also continues to threaten a key University of California, Berkeley research station that is home to scores of experiments on trees, plants and other wildlife.

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