California Fires Kill 15, Threaten Valley

AP (My Way) ^ | October 28, 1993 | Brian Skoloff

[Rutles4Ever]

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) - With wind-driven flames threatening the densely populated San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, firefighters dug in Tuesday for another brutal day battling one of the most destructive and deadly wildfire outbreaks in California history.

At least 17 deaths were blamed on the fires, 15 in Southern California and two in Mexico, as separate blazes were scattered along an arc from the suburbs northwest of Los Angeles to Ensenada, about 60 miles south of the border. More than 1,100 homes had been destroyed in California.

More than 500,000 acres of brush, forest and homes - or about 800 square miles, roughly three-quarters the total area of Rhode Island - had burned in California.

"It's a worst-case scenario. You couldn't have written anything worse than this. You can dream up horror movies, and they wouldn't be this bad," said Gene Zimmerman, supervisor of the San Bernardino National Forest, where two of the most destructive fires began last week.

[Rutles4Ever]

"It's a worst-case scenario. You couldn't have written anything worse than this. You can dream up horror movies, and they wouldn't be this bad,"

Wow.

[bobjam]

These suburb eating fires are just the sort of thing an eco-terrorist would start.

[JoJo Gunn]

I've been thinking the same thing. It's time to round up the scum of ELF.

[Marysecretary]

I saw a documentary on the 1991 fire and it was horrific. I cannot imagine WHY these people wait until the last minute to leave. I just cannot understand why they don't value their lives more than that. It's impossible to leave at some point because of the fire. Unbelievable how stupid people are sometimes. Is their home and possessions worth more than their lives????

[cgk]

At the press conference this morning in San Diego, the fire Chief said in his 30 year experience this is the worst fire he's ever seen - and he quoted another 40 year veteran who said it's the worst HE'D ever seen - in all of California's history. This is going from bad to worse every day. They say the fireline is 45 MILES long!!