CA: Wind-Fueled Fire Threatens S. Calif. Homes (9,300 acres so far, triples in size overnight)

LOS ANGELES - A wind-whipped brush fire quickly tripled in size early Thursday to more than 9,300 acres, destroying at least one home and prompting evacuations as a ridge of flames was visible for miles.

The blaze burned to the edge of a number of multimillion-dollar homes that abut rural, picturesque hillsides in the San Fernando Valley. Homes in several communities in Los Angeles and Ventura counties were evacuated, but officials did not release an exact number.

"Our house is still OK, but oh, God, it's not a good feeling," said Phil Goldenberg, 53, who was at an evacuation shelter at Canoga Park High School with his wife and son.

Late Wednesday night, bright red flames 10 to 15 feet high stretched several miles across much of the western edge of the valley.

"It's pretty hard to deal with when it's dry brush and dry fuel. There's not a lot you can do to stop it," said Paul Shakstad of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Fire officials confirmed that one home had been destroyed, although two structures that appeared to be homes could be seen burning in a news broadcast.

Past wildfires fanned by Santa Ana winds have roared south to Malibu, the celebrity-packed community about 10 miles away, and that's one of the biggest fears firefighters have with this blaze, Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Mark Savage said.

Authorities planned an all-out assault against the fire at daybreak using water dropping helicopters and tanker planes, he said. No evacuations were reported at Malibu.

More than 700 firefighters were on the scene, fire spokesman Ron Haralson said earlier. One firefighter was struck on the head by a 40-pound boulder and was taken to a hospital, officials said.

A blaze in Riverside County, meanwhile, spread over 1,330 acres between the cities of Redlands and Moreno Valley, about 70 miles east of Los Angeles. That fire destroyed three chicken coops at a ranch believed to have housed 70,000 to 90,000 chickens.

So far this year, wildfires have charred 8.16 million acres nationwide, compared with 7.74 million acres at the same time last year, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

Hundreds Evacuate As Calif. Fire Threatens

By GILLIAN FLACCUS, Associated Press Writer

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050929/ap_on_re_us/socal_wildfires

LOS ANGELES - A wind-whipped 17,000-acre wildfire raced across hills and canyons along the city's northwestern edge Thursday, threatening homes and forcing hundreds of people to evacuate.

Some 3,000 firefighters aided by aircraft struggled to protect ridgetop houses along the Los Angeles-Ventura county line, a rugged, brushy landscape west of Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley. Officials said the blaze was 5 percent contained as it burned toward such communities as Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Calabasas and Agoura.

Numerous homes were evacuated in nine areas, and the Red Cross reported 500 people were staying at five of its shelters.

At least one home and five other structures were lost, but 2,000 buildings had been saved by firefighters, Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said.

"We are guardedly optimistic, if the weather cooperates, if the public cooperates," Yaroslavsky said. "This may end well for all of us, but weather is unpredictable in these parts and everyone needs to be on guard."

Temperatures were in the high 90s and conditions were dry. Some gusts were reported on the fire lines, but there was no reappearance of the strong winds from the interior that fanned a small brush fire into a conflagration on Wednesday.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

Historically, some fires in the region have turned and burned through the Santa Monica Mountains to Malibu and the Pacific Ocean.

Authorities said residents took evacuation orders seriously in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

"I wasn't going to get stupid about it. There was only one way out, and it was getting real hot," said Jeff Johns, 48.

About 45 evacuees gathered at Canoga Park High School in the San Fernando Valley, where the Red Cross had set up cots and provided meals.

"Our house is still OK, but, oh, God, it's not a good feeling," said Phil Goldenberg, 53, who was at the school's gym with his wife and son.

Another large wildfire in Southern California was 25 percent contained after burning 1,160 acres in Riverside County. No homes were threatened.

So far this year, wildfires have charred 8.16 million acres nationwide, compared with 7.74 million acres by the same time last year, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

____

Associated Press Writer Paul Chavez contributed to this report.

Morning update, San Fernando Valley fire...

Firefighters Hope Weather Will Slow Fire

Firefighters Hope Weather Will Help Them Contain Blaze Outside Los Angeles

By GILLIAN FLACCUS

The Associated Press

Sep. 30, 2005 - A 16,200-acre wildfire burned out of control early Friday in the hills and canyons along the city's northwestern edge, despite the efforts of thousands of firefighters who held out hope that the weather was on their side.

Mike Bryant, Los Angeles County Fire Department incident chief, said firefighters wanted to "throw every available resource we have" at the fire to take advantage of cooler temperatures and receding winds.

"Today is a very critical day for us," he said on NBC's "Today" show Friday. A new system was forecast in the coming days that could again whip up the flames, he added.

Some 3,000 firefighters aided by four airplanes releasing retardant and 11 helicopters dropping water attacked flames and protected ridgetop homes amid the brushy landscape west of the San Fernando Valley. By early Friday, the blaze was just 5 percent contained.

Hundreds of people have evacuated since the fire broke out Wednesday, with the flames destroying at least one home and five other structures. Smoke in the valley was so thick that cars drove with lights on in the afternoon.

The fire moved west much of the day, menacing Ventura County communities, then sent flanks in the opposite direction as winds shifted.

"If it wasn't for the wind changing, it would have ... gone all the way to the coast," said Joey Escobar, 45, who was among a group of people who gathered to watch the flames near Highway 101. "It's like a fireplace."

Temperatures were in the high 90s and conditions were dry through most of the day. But winds were relatively light and the forecast called for cooler temperatures.

As night fell Thursday, long lines of fire marched east toward the wealthy enclave of Hidden Hills and the western fringes of Los Angeles.

Mandatory or voluntary evacuations were in effect for homes scattered throughout the canyons and in parts of area cities along the south side of the fire and 10 miles north to Simi Valley.

Firefighters have saved some 2,000 structures from the flames, Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said.

Fire also spread to parts of the 2,800-acre Santa Susana Field Laboratory where Rocketdyne has built everything from space rockets to Peacekeeper missiles over the past half century. Officials there canceled what was to be the lab's final rocket test because of the blaze; about 200 employees were evacuated.

Several abandoned and inactive structures at the site were destroyed, said Dan Beck, a spokesman for Boeing Co., which is doing environmental cleanup at the site. It was unclear how much acreage had been blackened.

About 600 people registered with the Red Cross on Thursday but it was not known how many would actually spend the night at the five shelters opened in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, said spokesman Nick Samaniego.

Actor Shelley Berman of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and his Bell Canyon neighbors evacuated, taking a few items from the home he has lived in since 1984.

"We were sitting watching television, had finished a nice dinner, everything was fine. ... Then suddenly, we were moving," said Berman, who went with his wife to a friend's house a few miles away in Westlake.

One other large wildfire in Southern California was 100 percent contained after burning 1,160 acres in San Timoteo Canyon between Redlands and Moreno Valley in Riverside County. No homes were destroyed.

The fire began at a chicken farm when welding equipment inside one of the coops accidentally sparked, fire officials said. More than 80,000 chickens nearly half of those at the farm were killed.

Morning update, Thurman fire below Big Bear...

Flames close highway

EVACUATION: As escape routes dwindle, residents are told to leave Angelus Oaks and sent to Big Bear Lake.

01:57 AM PDT on Friday, September 30, 2005

The Press-Enterprise

A rapidly moving fire marched uphill through dense brush in the San Bernardino Mountains toward the community of Angelus Oaks, prompting a mandatory evacuation of the town shortly before 7 p.m. Thursday.

More than 400 acres had burned by 8 p.m. as firefighters battled flames crackling through dense chaparral on rocky and near-vertical slopes. Fire officials said the blaze might grow by 200 acres overnight, fueled by heavy grasses and brush.

The blaze was 5 percent contained at dusk and officials hoped for 20 percent containment by morning.

Firefighters in Calabasas.

Setting back fires in the Santa Monica Mountains

Fire closes in on the Simi Valley Freeway

Thurman fire, Firefighters battle steep terrain near Forest Falls

Thurman Fire, Firefighter injured by falling debris

Thurman fire viewed from the Rim of the World Highway

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