California Fires Leave a Swath of Destruction By REBECCA CATHCART and SOLOMON MOORE
Published: November 15, 2008
LOS ANGELES — Santa Ana winds blowing at times near hurricane strength sparked two more monstrous wildfires Saturday, destroying hundreds of homes and putting more than 10,000 people under a mandatory evacuation order.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles County, and officials warned residents in the affected areas that the electric power supply was threatened. The expanding fires also closed major roads, including parts of Interstate 5, the state’s primary north-south artery, and the 91 and 57 Freeways.
Firefighters tried to contain the destructive Tea Fire that broke out Thursday night in Montecito, an enclave about 90 miles northwest of Los Angeles, when another fire erupted overnight Friday in the Sylmar area of the San Fernando Valley, north of downtown Los Angeles. That fire destroyed at least 500 units at a mobile home park and 65 other houses. It also damaged 100 houses. It had burned 6,500 acres by Saturday afternoon. By Saturday evening the more than 1,000 firefighters working on the Sylmar fire had it only 10 percent contained.
Yet another fire began on Saturday afternoon, in Corona, about 50 miles inland from Los Angeles.
The Corona blaze, named the Freeway Complex Fire, had burned more than 1,000 acres and damaged 19 homes by Saturday afternoon. Hundreds of residents fled the fire, which was being fought by more than 200 firefighters. Several helicopters and airplanes dropped water and flame retardant. ...........(more)
The complete piece is at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/16/us/16calif.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
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