Calif. Wildfires spread, intensify
Pastor Dale Morgan
Calif. Wildfires spread, intensify*
Published: July 2, 2008 at 11:09 PM
GOLETA, Calif., July 2 (UPI) -- California's wildfire war spread south
Wednesday with a new fire near Santa Barbara and intensified in Big Sur,
where a wildfire jumped a containment line.
The overnight blaze near Santa Barbara was reported in the Los Padres
National Forest, near the coastal town of Goleta, and forced about 40
homes to be evacuated, KABC-TV, Los Angeles, reported. The fire reached
within about two miles of Goleta during the day, the Los Angeles Times said.
A firefighter said crews hoped to get a handle on the 100-acre fire
quickly before Santa Barbara County's ocean breezes began kicking up.
The stubborn Big Sur blaze jumped a containment line Wednesday morning
and forced more evacuations, the Times reported. The development led to
the closing of a 30-mile stretch of Highway 1, the main route through
the scenic region, and the evacuation of the community of Big Sur.
California's firefighting resources remained stretched thin by more than
1,400 wildfires in the northern half of the state that have scorched
around 436,000 acres.
Cal Fire reported more than 8,000 structures considered threatened,
including more than 1,200 in the vicinity of the 52,000-acre Basin
Complex fires in the rugged Big Sur region.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Tuesday called up National Guard troops to
pitch in. However, fire commanders said they were picking their battles
and focusing on populated areas and smaller fires that can be snuffed
out before they get out of hand.