USA: Brush fires wreak havoc in Southern California

Los Angeles firemen battle a colossal wildfire throughout the night after it reverses direction and endangers homes. Firefighters evacuated 300 residents of an affluent Los Angeles neighbourhood and pushed back flames from the edge of upscale homes as a wildfire in the city's largest park flared on Tuesday (May 8) night. The blaze in Griffith Park, which authorities say might have been started by a careless cigarette smoker, began in the early afternoon and was fanned by unseasonably high temperatures and hot Santa Ana winds through the brittle, rain-thirsty brush. Firefighters evacuated people from the hilly park just east of the landmark Hollywood sign, from a museum and from the city's zoo early in the afternoon. Some 600 acres (250 hectares) had burned by 11 p.m., Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said. The orange flames above the Los Feliz neighbourhood, just miles from Hollywood, were visible across much of the sprawling city. The flames resurged after nightfall, when 25 percent of the fire was reported to be contained. Police Chief William Bratton said the fire may have been accidental, caused by "the careless disposal of a cigarette." Arson investigators were questioning a man who was seen walking out of the brush near the fire with burns on his body. He was hospitalized, but has not been charged with starting the fire, Fire Chief Doug Barry said. No other injuries were reported. For the night, Barry said, the "fire had laid down" and firefighters had stopped the flames from advancing toward the homes. Hundreds of firefighters on the ground and five water-dropping helicopters would work throughout the night and fresh crews would be deployed in the morning. L.A. media and residents were calling it Griffith Park's worst fire in decades, maybe since the 1930s. Tuesday's fire was the second in as many months in the area as Southern California registers some of the driest conditions in 80 years. Fire officials have issued a "red flag" warning for much of Southern California, denoting extremely high fire danger.

ITN Source | May 9, 2007

Tags:. .danger. .burns. .burned. .miles. .ground