USA: Firefighters gain the upper hand on nearly all of California's wildfires as President George W. Bush tours the affected area

Firefighters gain the upper hand on nearly all of California's wildfires as President George W. Bush tours the affected area. Firefighters gained the upper hand on nearly all of California's wildfires on Thursday (October 25) as President George W. Bush toured an area around San Diego to find what he called "terrible devastation" from the five-day disaster. As hot winds cooled and slowed and flames died down, most of the 500,000 people who took part in California's largest evacuation were on their way home, officials said. About 2,000 homes have been destroyed or damaged since Sunday. Two burned bodies were found in a house in San Diego County, bringing the death toll to at least eight, including those who died in the evacuation. Sixty people were injured. Bush, anxious to show a better emergency response in California after the debacle of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, flew over the area with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in a helicopter and visited victims. "We're not going to forget you in Washington, DC," Bush told residents and emergency workers. "We want the people to know that there's a better day ahead, that today your life may look dismal, but tomorrow, life's going to be better. And to the extent that the federal government can help you, we want to do so." The Federal Emergency Management Agency, criticized along with Bush for the chaotic handling of Katrina victims, had 1,000 people on the ground. Though fire officials were relieved that the hot, dry Santa Ana winds driving the flames had weakened, they said that offshore breezes replacing them presented another danger. Even those milder winds could fan the flames, being fought by 9,000 weary men and women. The wildfires broke out during the weekend after the winds began to blow in from the desert at more than 80 mph (130 kph). They have blackened nearly 800 square miles (2,072 sq km) in a parched region that suffered its driest summer on record. The Witch fire was one of about 20 fires that erupted since Sunday night, all of which were given names by fire officials. San Diego County has suffered losses in excess of 1 billion U.S. dollars, and three of the largest fires were still burning there, mostly in the eastern, less populated part of the county. San Diego police said they had arrested two people who had looted homes and were trying to cross into Mexico with their hauls. One of the most critical fires was in Orange County, south of Los Angeles, where firefighters trying to control the 23,000-acre (8,094-hectare) Santiago fire lost ground overnight. The blaze, which has destroyed 14 homes and was burning into the Cleveland National Forest toward other communities, was being investigated by local authorities as well as the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms as an arson. A 150,000 U.S. dollar reward had been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

ITN Source | October 26, 2007

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