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WORLD> America
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Wildfire makes menacing advance near Los Angeles
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-09-01 14:52 LOS ANGELES: A deadly wildfire destroyed more than four dozen homes as it blackened a wide swath of tinder-dry Southern California forest, forced thousands of residents to flee and burned dangerously close Monday to a vital mountaintop broadcasting complex.
Fire crews battling the blaze in the Angeles National Forest tried desperately to beat back the flames and prayed for weather conditions to ease. The fire was the largest of at least eight burning across California after days of triple-digit temperatures and low humidity. The fire scorched 164 square miles of brush, destroyed 53 homes and forest cabins and threatened more than 12,000 others, but a lack of wind kept flames from overwhelming firefighters who protected suburbs northeast of Los Angeles. The 53 homes destroyed included some forest cabins, said US Forest Service spokesman Dennis Cross. He did not have an immediate breakdown on how many of the structures were full-time residences. Columns of smoke billowed high into the air before dispersing into a gauzy white haze that burned eyes and prompted warnings of unhealthy air throughout the Los Angeles area. Smoke could be seen billowing around the fabled Hollywood sign. "It's burning everywhere," US Forest Service spokeswoman Dianne Cahir said. "When it gets into canyons that haven't burned in numerous years, it takes off. If you have any insight into the good Lord upstairs, put in a request." The exact number of people injured or threatened by the fire was still not clear. Among those evacuated were Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal and his wife from their home in La Canada Flintridge. Furcal entered Monday night's game against Arizona as a pinch-hitter in the 10th inning. Over the weekend, three people who refused to evacuate were burned when they were overrun by flames, including a couple who had sought refuge in a hot tub, authorities said. Authorities revised an earlier report that five people were trapped in a canyon near Gold Creek. They later said five men and one woman refused several orders to evacuate the remote ranch. "When we tried to get them out, they said they're fine, no problem, they didn't want to leave," said fire spokesman Larry Marinas.
If the flames hit the mountain, cell phone service and TV and radio transmissions would be disrupted, but the extent was unclear. The blaze killed two firefighters who died when their truck drove off the side of a road with flames all around them. |
