Wildfires Erupt in Los Angeles
Pastor Dale Morgan
Wildfires Erupt in Los Angeles*
Friday April 13, 2007 3:01 AM
By ANA BEATRIZ CHOLO
Associated Press Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Fires erupted in the hills above Los Angeles
Thursday, damaging or destroying several homes as dangerous north winds
swept dry southern California. Farther inland, a blinding sandstorm
triggered a deadly highway pileup.
Wind speeds of more than 50 mph propelled the blaze in grass near
expensive mountainside homes above the city of Beverly Hills, Los
Angeles Fire Department spokesman Ron Myers said.
About 200 firefighters, some using water-dropping helicopters,
Firefighters contained the blaze to 50 acres, or less than a square
mile, in the Beverly Glen neighborhood on the south face of the Santa
Monica Mountains.
Interim Los Angeles Fire Chief Douglas Barry said homes were damaged by
flames.
The cause was under investigation. Barry said arson had not been ruled out.
Daphna Ziman was getting ready for a Hillary Clinton fundraiser at her
Woodland Drive home when there was suddenly smoke everywhere. Police
came to the door and told her to evacuate.
``It was black outside, you couldn't walk through it, I've never seen
anything like it,'' she said.
Fire Department spokesman Ron Myers said the fire was essentially
contained but firefighters were still working because of hotspots and
concern that winds could fan embers into flames.
Smaller fires burned elsewhere in Southern California, including a 15-
to 20-acre blaze in Palmdale, a desert city in northern Los Angeles
County. Homes were threatened for a time before most of the active
flames were knocked down, county fire Inspector Sam Padilla said.
Fires caused power outages for more than 160,000 customers in Los
Angeles County and surrounding areas. Utility officials didn't know when
service would be restored.
Southern California is extremely fire-prone after a dry winter. Downtown
Los Angeles has recorded less than 2 inches of rain since July 1.
In the inland region east of Los Angeles, 50 mph winds whipped
sandstorms across San Bernardino County's desert roadways.
A morning pileup on Interstate 40 killed two people and injured several
others near Barstow during zero-visibility conditions, authorities said.
``It almost looks like fog right now and it just encompasses hundreds of
square miles,'' said California Highway Patrol Lt. Todd Sturges.
High winds at Los Angeles International Airport forced jets to make
second approaches, while others chose to divert to LA/Ontario
International Airport, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian
Gregor said.