Fire Damage Grows, Could Be State's Worst Disaster (1500 homes destroyed/17 Deaths)

KNBC Chanel 4 Website ^ | 2:23 p.m. PST October 28, 2003 | NBC Channel 4, Los Angeles

[Smogger]

This is updated information on ALL fires.

[Momaw Nadon]

Gov. Gray Davis said the wildfires could be, "the worst disaster the state has ever faced."

Actually, Gov. Gray Davis is the worst disaster the state has ever faced.

[Smogger]

Fire approaches the parking lot of Rim of the World High School Tuesday.

A firefigher monitors the Old Fire with a water hose along state highway 18 in Lake Arrowhead Tuesday.

Fire crews monitor the Old Fire along state highway 18 in Lake Arrowhead Tuesday.

Firefighters fight fires in Crestline, Calif. Tuesday morning.

[Smogger]

Flames and smoke from the Grand Prix Fire surround the Rim of the World High School Tuesday.

A firefighter stands along Highway 18 as the Old Fire burns in the background Tuesday.

A firefighter surveys the damange from a wildfire in the Scripps Ranch area of San Diego Tuesday.

Fire crews pour water at a home in the Scripps Ranch area of San Diego Tuesday.

[smokinleroy]

Gray Davis said the wildfires could be, "the worst disaster the state has ever faced."

...except for his two partial terms as governor.

[Smogger]

This San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department wanted poster, released Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2003, shows a sketch of a man wanted for questioning concerning the Old Fire, which started Saturday, Oct. 25, 2003, in San Bernardino County in Southern California. (AP Photo/San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department)

[TomGuy]

Some CBS webcam caps from earlier today:

School campus; seems to be saved





House close to being consumed.

[Timesink]

Why is it called the "Old" Fire, anyway?

[cgk]

A firefighter stands in front of the flames as the struggle to get the Crestline Wildfire under control continues near Los Angeles, California.

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A firefighter struggles to battle the Crestline Wildfire that has swept through the area in Los Angeles County, California.

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Weary inmate firefighters rest along the guard rail on Highway 67 leading into Ramona, California, October 28, 2003. Firefighters battling California's deadly wildfires, among the most destructive in state history, turned optimistic on Tuesday as hot winds whipping the flames gave way to cooler conditions and fresh reinforcements rushed in from neighboring states.

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Email this slideshow Los Angeles County Fire Captain David Martinez takes a nap as a wildfire approaches in Chatsworth, California .

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A California pine tree explodes as the Grand Prix wildfire burns on the edge of state highway 18 north of Rim of The World High School, in Lake Arrowhead, Calif., Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2003.

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An unidentified man watches a wildfire burn on a neighboring hill in Lakeside, Calif. Monday night, Oct 27, 2003.

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[helen crump]

Thanks for the thourough update.
Praying for a deep soaking, long rain.
(with no lightening, of course)

[sonsofliberty2000]

Here's another pic for you.

Patriot Paradox

[TomGuy]

The CBS Webcam has been providing almost continuous coverage, with occasional glitches.

Channel 4 news van is going, going...

[cgk]

Man! That is so surreal looking. As is this one - showing ANOTHER fire in Baja, Mexico - south of the border. What in the world??

[Hollywoodghost]

The worst disaster in the state was the San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906 that took an estimated 800 lives

[berkeleybeej]

RE: TV van burning pic...

Is that the same goober who was tap-dancing in the flames yesterday or the day before?

Hope the crew is safe...and laughing at the absurdity of it all.

[sonsofliberty2000]

Here are a few more pics:

A view of the California wildfires as seen by the crew of the International Space Station.

Patriot Paradox

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Thanks for the thread and pictures. This is incredible (in a very bad way).

[petuniasevan]

Live thread for today (warning long thread/lots of graphics):

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1009393/posts?q=1&&page=1501

[yoswif]

As the photos show, managing federal forests in Southern California for maximum yields of oxone destroying wood smoke has been wildly successful. It's a shame people died and homes were destroyed in the process. I wonder how many lives would have been lost and homes destroyed if federal forests were managed for minimum yields of ozone destroying wood smoke?

[ErnBatavia]

I have a hard time with those extremely long threads - you kinda have to start at the bottom and back up.

Wifey called here to tell me one of the TV reporters was told that "everyone in all mountain communities needs to leave NOW"; guess there's another hairy night cooking.