5,000 Evacuated As Calif. Forest Burns
Pastor Dale Morgan
5,000 Evacuated As Calif. Forest Burns*
Sunday September 16, 2007 2:46 PM
FAWNSKIN, Calif. (AP) - An out-of-control wildfire raged through the San
Bernardino National Forest on Sunday, keeping about 5,000 people from
their homes in two mountain communities.
Firefighters struggled to contain the 18,000-acre blaze, which began
Friday and was pushed by 20-mph winds through dense, dry brush.
By Saturday, the fire was only 5 percent contained. Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency for San Bernardino County,
clearing the way for state government assistance with costs related to
the fire.
The flames had burned several outbuildings at a campground and crept
within a half-mile of homes, said Jim Wilkins of the San Bernardino
County Fire Department.
``It's a very aggressive fire burning through fuels that haven't been
burned in 50 to 75 years,'' Wilkins said.
About 1,080 firefighters were aided by helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft
and a DC-10 capable of dropping 24,000 gallons of water at a time.
Officials evacuated the resort community of Green Valley Lake and the
Fawnskin area near Big Bear Dam. Several campgrounds were also
evacuated, and voluntary evacuations were called for part of Lucerne Valley.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation.
In San Diego County, a 500-acre wildfire erupted Saturday northeast of
Julian, forcing about 400 people to leave the nearby subdivision of
Whispering Pines.
By nightfall, the flames had completely run through the subdivision. An
empty vacation home was destroyed, said Jan Caldwell of the San Diego
County Sheriff's Department.
About 500 firefighters battled the blaze, which was 10 percent contained.