Thread: Still Fighting Fires, Californians Look Toward Recovery

Still Fighting Fires, Californians Look Toward Recovery

SAN DIEGO, California, November 1, 2007 (ENS) - San Diego County fire officials have lifted all evacuation orders and announced that all residents may return home. Most of the fires that started in the third week of October and raged uncontrolled for days blown by Santa Ana winds are now under control, but still fire officials fear that the fierce seasonal winds will blow up again by the end of the week.

To date, the fires have claimed seven lives, and 124 people have been injured. More than half a million acres have been burned and 3,097 structures have been destroyed, most of them homes.

Governor Arnold Swarzenegger declared a state of emergency on October 21 to release state funds for fire response, and this week he is traveling the state with a team of state officials assessing what will be needed for recovery.

"We are not out of the danger zone yet, the governor said in Los Angeles on Wednesday. "We have right now one foot in the recovery area, and one foot still fighting the fires. We still have four fires with 13,000 firefighters on the ground, and we are watching the weather very closely, because we have heard that there is a prediction that there will be the Santa Ana winds coming up again. And we are putting a lot of personnel, aircraft and other equipment in place so that we can act immediately if the winds pick up."

Cal Fire says the Harris Fire to the south and east of San Diego was 100 percent contained at 6 am Wednesday after burning 90,440 acres, and they expect full control to be achieved on the morning of November 3.

There are still 2,214 firefighters assigned to the Harris Fire, which has cost $15.6 million to fight. Thirty-six firefighters have been injured on the job.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials reopened the Tecate port of entry on the U.S.-Mexico border to crago truck traffic on Wednesday, but traffic is being rerouted around damaged portions of the road. More than 300 big rigs use this border crossing every day. The Harris fire threatened the facility and forced its evacuation on October 21.

The Tecate port of entry reopened to passenger cars and pedestrians on Monday.

The Witch Fire burned more than 197,990 acres and is presently 99 percent contained. More than 1,755 firefighters continue to battle the blaze, and full control is not expected until November 5. This fire has cost $16 million to date, and there have been 40 injuries to firefighters.

The Poomacha Fire started October 23 as a structure fire on the Lajolla Indian Reservation and joined with the Witch Fire to the south. It has burned 50,156 acres and is 85 percent contained, with full containment expected November 6 although 500 homes remain threatened in Mt. Palomar and in the Crosley Homestead.

David Paulison, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, who is traveling with the governor said over 10,000 families have register for assistance with FEMA.

"We have authorized over 4,000 house inspections. We have almost 250 housing inspectors on the ground. And we have authorized over 2.3 million dollars already to private individuals to help them get back on their feet," Paulison said.

Cal Fire head Ruben Grijalva said his agency is ready for renewed Santa Ana winds. "We will pre-deploy additional resources to southern California. Now, I just want you to be award that the expected Santa Ana wind condition is not at the same level as the last one we faced," he said. "We’re predicted 25 to 30 miles an hour with 50 mile gusts, compared to 50 to 60 miles an hour with 85 to 100 mile an hour gusts."

California officials believe several of the fires were started deliberately.

“We already know at least two of the fires were started intentionally and two more have suspicious origins," Governor Schwarzenegger said Saturday. "I want everyone to understand that we are working with local and federal authorities to hunt down the people responsible, arrest them and prosecute them to the full extent of the law. And believe me, we will not fail."

The governor has announced a $50,000 reward for information leading toward the arrest and conviction in a California court of the person or persons responsible for setting the Santiago Fire. In addition, the FBI and ATF each contributed $50,000 and KFI Radio added $100,000.

During the week of October 21 to 28, the 211 call center answered nearly 109,000 calls from California residents in need of timely information about shelters, evacuations, road closures and the progression of the fires.

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2007. All rights reserved.

http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/nov2007 ... 01-091.asp

Over half a million people were evacuated during these fires in San Diego county, the only major incident that took place with all this was the illegals caught stealing supplies at the Qualcomm stadium.