Wildfires spark emergency declaration by California governor
Pastor Dale Morgan
Wildfires spark emergency declaration by California governor*
LOS ANGELES, Sept 25 (AFP) Sep 25, 2006
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared an emergency in
wildfire-ravaged Ventura County near Los Angeles on Sunday as a set of
blazes scorched the tinder-dry state.
Wind-whipped flames had thus far charred 127,569 acres (51,625 hectares)
of mountainous terrain in the Los Padres National Park in what
Schwarzenegger referred to as "one of the largest wild-land fires in
recent California history."
"Conditions of extreme peril to persons and property exists in Ventura
County due to the fires," Schwarzenegger said in his declaration.
"The magnitude of these fires exceeds the capabilities of the services,
personnel, equipment and facilities of Ventura County."
Schwarzenegger ordered the state Office of Emergency Services to
re-enforce the teams that have been fighting the blazes since they were
started, evidently by someone burning debris, on September 4.
There were 3,237 firefighters and support crew battling the wildfires as
of Sunday night and the cost of the effort had topped 33 million
dollars, according to US Forest Service information officer Joe Pasinato.
Only 40 percent of the fire had been "contained," been stopped from
spreading, Pasinato said. The only injury reported was a bee sting and
the only structure lost was a ranger lookout tower, Pasinato said.
Firefighters were heartened by a weather forecast that gusty, dry "Santa
Ana" winds that fanned the flames through the weekend would give way to
moister, cooler breezes coming from the southeast during the weekdays.
"That is good news," Pasinato told AFP. "During the day time we've had
sun out and humidity down. Any moisture or lower temperature we could
introduce on the fire in the daylight would be excellent."
"We still have a lot of active fire out there."
By Sunday, firefighters in Northern California had tamed wildfires in
Wine Country and in Yolo County near the state capitol of Sacramento.
The Yolo County fire that started Friday morning destroyed three homes,
15 barns, killed dozens of horses and cows, and caused about 100 people
to be evacuated from their houses, according to the forest service.
The wildfire in California's renowned Napa County wine region threatened
vineyards and a home for veterans.
Another fire continued burning in Tahoe National Forest in the Sierra
Mountain area had burned more than 2,000 acres but was considered mostly
contained.
Fall is considered the most dangerous time of year in California for
wildfires because the hot, dry summers leave plants and trees primed to
ignite.
Late spring rains this year caused plants to flourish, resulting in an
abundance of sere brush to serve as fuel for fires.