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Current Fires Active list for California
(If you have updates, feel free to post 'em; I'm trying to keep this list as up-to-date as I can. San Diego fireline area information welcome; I'm overfrantic on just the LA/Ventura/San Bernardino fires alone.)

Most recent total update: 850 homes lost in the southland. 270,000 acres burned.

Hemet fire, Riverside county. As of last heard report, 6500 acres burned.

Simi Valley fire, Ventura county/northern Los Angeles county - 80,000 acres. Six homes destroyed, eight damaged. Containment: 0 percent. Start: Oct. 25. Firefighters trying to save Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. Voluntary evacuations for Moorpark. Personnel: 599 firefighters. Cause: Under investigation. Fire is now in Chatsworth in Los Angeles county.

Piru fire, Ventura county - 1,300 acres. Containment: 85 percent. Start: Oct. 23, west of Lake Piru in Ventura County. The fire in Los Padres National Forest is threatening the Sespe Wilderness and Sespe Condor sanctuary. There are no condors currently in the refuge. Voluntary evacuations in Piru and parts of Fillmore. Personnel: 780 firefighters. Cause: Under investigation.

Verdale fire, Los Angeles county - Also known as Santa Clarita or Val Verde fire. 9,000 acres. Containment: 50 percent. Start: Oct. 24 west of Santa Clarita in northern LA county. Voluntary evacuations for community of Val Verde Park and parts of Piru. Blaze sparked the Simi Valley fire. Personnel: 500 firefighters. Cause: Under investigation.

Grand Prix fire, San Bernardino & Los Angeles counties - 40 mile fireline from LA to San Bernardino county (includes Old Waterman fire) - Fire line is 40 miles long including the Old Waterman fire. 35,000 acres. 62 homes destroyed. Containment: 23 percent. Mandantory evacuations in Lytle Creek, Mt. Baldy, Rialto, and parts of Claremont, Upland, and other foothill communities of the San Gabriel Mtns. Personnel: 2,427 firefighters. Cause: Arson.

Old Waterman fire, San Bernardino county - Size: 15,000 acres. 300 homes and ten commercial buildings destroyed. Deaths: 2. Containment: 5 percent. Start: Oct. 25 near San Bernardino National Forest. Evacuations in foothill areas of San Bernardino and mountain communities, including Crestline and Lake Arrowhead. Personnel: 917 firefighters. Cause: Under investigation, suspicious origin.

Crestline fire, San Bernardino county - Burning towards Lake Arrowhead currently, with evacuations in Big Bear, Running Springs, and other close areas. Acreage unknown. Grand Prix fire is burning up the mountain to join with it, slowly but surely. Approx. 30 structures in Crestline burned.

Valley Center fire, San Diego county - See Paradise Fire

San Clemente/Camp Pendleton fire, San Diego county - Freeper reports that it was just south of San Onofre power plant, a couple miles inland from the 5 freeway. Size: 4,695 acres. Containment: 67 percent. Started Oct. 21st on the base north of San Diego. Key facts: Authorities are downplaying early reports that fire was ignited by live ammo exercises on the base. Personnel: 999 firefighters. Cause: Under investigation.

Rancho California fire, Riverside county (formerly Black Mtn & Anzo fires). Some structural damage.

Mountain fire, Riverside county - 1,000 acres. Two homes damaged or destroyed. Containment: 0 percent. Evacuations ordered for homes near Lake Skinner. Two civillian injuries. Personnel: 250 firefighters. Cause: Under investigation.

Malibu fire, Los Angeles/Ventura county region - FIRE OUT! Hooray!

Escondido (Dixon Lake area), San Diego county.

Otay Lakes fire, San Diego county. Still active, and there is concern to the westerly direction that could push the fire into Eastlake and Chula Vista. Voluntary evacuation of Eastlake Tails and Woods began this afternoon.

East Lake fire, San Diego county.

Crest (El Cajon) fire, San Diego county.

Cedar fire, San Diego county. Approx. 260 homes destroyed, nine deaths, started Oct. 25 in eastern San Diego County. 100,000 acres burned. Personnel: More than 800 firefighters. Containment: 0 percent. Extends to Scripps Ranch (150 homes lost in this area, current flareups there), Poway, Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, portions of Santee, Lakeside, Ramona, and Blossom Valley. Cause: Authorities believe a hunter set a signal fire when he got lost.

Dulzura fire, San Diego county. 15,000 acres. Containment: 0 percent. Personnel: 300 firefighters. Started Oct. 26 in southern San Diego county. Fire crossed the border into Mexico, but no structures were threatened in Tijuana. Cause: Under investigation.

Paradise fire, San Diego county. At least 3,000 acres. 36 homes destroyed, two deaths. Containment: 0 percent. Started Oct. 26 in Valley Center area near Interstate 15. Valley View Casino evacuated. Personnel: More than 500 firefighters. Cause: Under investigation.

Poway fire: See Cedar fire.

Ramona fire: See Cedar fire.

Alpine fire, San Diego county.