USA: California fire evacuees top 500,000; second death

At least 16 wind-driven wildfires burned from the Mexican border to areas north of Los Angeles on Tuesday (October 23), forcing more than half a million people from their homes and claiming a second life on the third day of fire calamity. San Diego County faced the most dire situation as flames raced unchecked, with 500,000 people now ordered to evacuate their homes, county supervisor Ron Roberts said. At least 1,250 homes were destroyed. Another person died on Tuesday from burns in a fire north of Los Angeles, after the first death reported on Sunday some 150 miles (241 km) away near San Diego. President George W. Bush early on Tuesday declared an emergency in the state and authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief in the seven affected counties. "We send our prayers and thoughts with those who've been affected and we send the help of the federal government as well," Bush said, speaking in Washington. He planned to visit the fire-stricken area on Thursday to get a close look at the damage and emergency efforts, the White House said. Some 300,000 acres (120,000 hectares) have burned, an area about twice the size of Chicago, stretching fire crews and state emergency services. But federal authorities said the emergency response was well under control. "We have been moving cots, blankets and other supplies into the area of San Diego so that we can handle any necessity for additional sheltering capacity. We've also moved all assets to be poised to take flight when we do have the opportunity to deal with the fire once the winds begin to die down Michael Chertoff, Secretary Of Department Of Homeland Security who left for California to earlier today to assess the situation there. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger summoned aid from 1,500 National Guard troops, including 200 from the Mexican border, to help with firefighting, evacuations and crowd control. "I think that the coordination between the locals, the state, and the federal government is very important. This is a really fast moving fire and it has really been disastrous for so many people and we want to make sure there is enough man power and enough equipment and resources available for the firefighters," Schwarzenegger said. In the celebrity enclave of Malibu, north of Los Angeles, where the first fire raged early Sunday, there was no active burning and 500 of the 1,400 firefighters were dispatched to other areas. Neighboring states, including Nevada and Arizona, rushed in crews and equipment.

ITN Source | October 24, 2007

Tags:. .active. .winds. .weve. .size. .aid