California Steps up Battle Against Raging Wildfires
Pastor Dale Morgan
California Steps up Battle Against Raging Wildfires*
Jun 28, 2008, 12:29 GMT
San Francisco - California authorities stepped up their battle Friday
against the more than 1,000 fires that have cast a blanket of smoke over
much of the state, sending more than 12,500 firefighters to fight the
flames.
According to state firefighting organization Cal Fire, 1,211 fires had
burned more than 780 square kilometers, and only 266 fires have been
contained.
Most of the fires were sparked when freak dry lightning storms hit much
of northern California last weekend, and meteorologists have predicted
more of the same weather conditions this weekend. However the army of
firefighters, backed by about 1,000 fire engines and some 100
water-dropping aircraft appeared to be making progress.
'There's been a lot of good work out there, and we're definitely making
progress on a lot of these fires,' said Daniel Berlant, a spokesman for
the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
One of the worst blazes was burning out of control near the renowned
coastal beauty spot of Big Sur, having already burned 15 houses and
threatening 500 more. It also threatened a historic library at the site,
where famous author Henry Miller spent his final years.
Smoke filled skies forced authorities to extend an 'unhealthy air' day
across the San Francisco Bay region advising seniors, children and
people with breathing problems to stay indoors with windows closed to
minimize breathing problems.
In the Mendocino region alone, more than 130 fires were burning, forcing
hundreds from their homes, while in the Shasta Trinity forest more than
150 fires were burning.
Initial reports were of little damage to property but more than 2,000
homes are under threat from the conflagration.
The fires are causing huge concern coming early in the season due to low
rainfall over the winter and spring that left brush bone dry at least
two months ahead of schedule.
California's worst fire months are usually in September and October,
when hot dry inland winds blow across the south of the state. Last year
more than 2,000 homes were destroyed by the late summer fires, causing
more than 3 billion dollars in damage.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency
earlier in the month and called in the National Guard Wednesday to boost
firefighting efforts.
He called on people not to buy fireworks for the traditional July 4 US
Independence Day celebrations, as it was too dry and too dangerous to
set them off.