The national fire preparedness level rose from 3 to 4 yesterday, signaling a heavier strain on federal resources as wildfires continued to rage throughout the Rocky Mountain region. In Colorado, the Waldo Canyon fire on the outskirts of Colorado Springs continued to blaze out of control yesterday with firefighters able to contain 5 percent of it. Spot fires continued to burn in a northeastern subdivision of the city where fire first exploded over containment lines Tuesday night. While firefighters and officials have been unable to assess the area directly, local estimates put the number of damaged buildings in the hundreds. Some 35,000 residents have been evacuated from the city. Go to story #1