[NYTr] Record low rainfall: Hundreds of thousands flee California wildfires

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

AFP - Oct 22, 2007
http://www.afp.com/english/news/stories/071022182649.san4r9d6.html

Hundreds of thousands flee California wildfires

California has experienced record low rainfalls this year

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Wind-whipped wildfires raged unchecked across
California on Monday, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of thousands
of people and besieging homes from Los Angeles to the Mexican border.

At least 10 fires were blazing throughout southern California with
thousands of firefighters struggling to contain flames that have ripped
through tinder-try hillsides and parkland following months of
record-low rainfalls.

One person has been killed, more than 20 people injured and 84,000
acres (34,000 hectares) destroyed in the fires, which have reportedly
forced the evacuation of 250,000 people in San Diego County alone.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has declared a state of
emergency in seven counties to help battle the fires, described the
escalating crisis as a "tragedy" for the state.

"It's a tragic time for California," Schwarzenegger said after touring
charred remains of buildings in Malibu, west of Los Angeles, where
fires which erupted early Sunday have wreaked havoc.

As well as firefighters on the ground, authorities bombarded the blazes
from above using helicopters and airplanes to drop water and flame
retardant.

Fire authorities admit they are struggling to control the fires and are
grimly expecting the situation to worsen with powerful, hot desert
winds expected to gust across the region.

"These fires that are sweeping through Southern California are a
perfect storm," said Los Angeles County supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky.

"The fire department and law enforcement personnel have been stressed
almost beyond the point of reason because there are so many fires going
mutual aid has been stressed to their limits. This is a perfect
firestorm.

"The winds are erratic and unpredictable. There is no telling where the
fires will move and when."

Reports said authorities in San Diego County had ordered the evacuation
of 250,000 people as the fires raced towards built-up residential areas.

Among the evacuees were prison inmates and hospital patients, while
several schools were also closed.

In Malibu, strong winds fed the flames which destroyed a church and
other buildings, forcing thousands to evacuate, including entire
neighborhoods.

Homes of director James Cameron and "Grease" movie star Olivia
Newton-John were among those evacuated, celebrity site TMZ.com reported.

Thousands of students at Malibu's Pepperdine University were evacuated.
Nearby, the Malibu Presbyterian Church and several private homes burned
to the ground, and the coastal highway from Los Angeles to San
Francisco was closed.

The blaze also destroyed much of the Malibu Castle, known as Castle
Kashan, a hilltop landmark and put up for sale in March for 17 million
dollars.

The causes of the different fires raging throughout the state were
varied, with a fallen power line believed to be the cause of the blaze
in Malibu while arson was blamed for a fire in Orange County that
torched 4,000 acres.

"I'm sad to report this is an arson fire," said Orange County Fire
Authority Chief Chip Prather.

One person was killed and four firefighters were seriously injured
while trying to protect a home from fire in Potrero, 50 kilometers (30
miles) east of San Diego, the fire department said. Seventeen people
were injured.

Early Monday the fire had ripped through 20,000 acres of brush and was
threatening 1,500 structures as it raced to the Mexico border, a
spokeswoman from the California Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection told AFP.

Officials warned the fires may continue for several days while the high
winds keep up.

"This fire's been very erratic and it has moved rapidly when it has
moved with the winds," Los Angeles county fire chief Michael Freeman
told reporters.

Many parts of California, including Los Angeles, have experienced
record low rainfalls this year, leaving hundreds of thousands of acres
of countryside at the mercy of wildfires.

In 2003, California wildfires left at least 22 people dead, scorched
300,000 hectares and destroyed 3,000 homes.