California firefighters partially contain massive wildfire in Mojave Desert

Joshua trees burn in the Mojave National Preserve in California (Ty O’Neil/AP/PA)

Firefighters have partially contained a massive wildfire after the blaze ignited in a California wildland preserve and spread into Nevada.

Its smoke blotted out the sun across Las Vegas while flames scorched tens of thousands of acres of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland.