Hollywood Blaze Spreads, Causing Panic

Wildfire Forces Evacuations Of 200 Southern California Homes

(CBS/AP)  Residents of 200 homes were ordered to evacuate Saturday as a wildfire burned out of control in hills and canyons in this city east of Los Angeles, authorities said.

The fire burned about 1,400 acres, or 2.1 square miles, and had burned a shed and the roof of a house in the area where residents were being evacuated, said San Bernardino County Fire spokeswoman Angie Samayoa.

Most residents have been allowed to return to their homes in the Southern California city of Hesperia. A San Bernardino County fire spokeswoman says the fire has stopped growing. It had burned out of control for much of the day Saturday.

The blaze, about 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles, is five-percent contained and authorities expect full containment by Sunday night.

The cause was under investigation, and about 400 firefighters were fighting the blaze. Hesperia is about 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles.

"It's increased substantially," Samayoa said. "Firefighters are doing their very best to protect these homes."

On Friday, flames allegedly ignited by two teens sent smoke seeping into the Warner Bros. studios and towering high in the sky behind the famous Hollywood sign before losing intensity.

The 150-acre blaze started near a corporate housing complex east of Universal City, south of the Warner Bros. studios complex in Burbank.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said two teens from Illinois were in custody and told authorities they caused the fire.

"They've admitted that they started this fire," the mayor said at a news conference. He said they were "old enough to know what they were doing."

The teens walked into a Burbank police station in midafternoon and were turned over to Los Angeles police Friday, police Lt. Ron Caruso said.

The 16- and 17-year-old boys, who were visiting Los Angeles with their parents, had been staying at the housing complex, the mayor said.

They have been arrested on suspicion of reckless setting of a fire and released to their parents, said Ron Myers, a fire department spokesman. They could be charged after prosecutors review the case Monday, he said.

For several hours smoke roiled into the sky behind the famous Hollywood sign that stands on the south face of the hills, but the flames made no move down the south face and by late afternoon the landmark appeared to be well out of any danger.

Nonetheless, dozens of people gathered at the foot of the hills to take pictures of the sign and smoke.

"If it burns, we would be losing an icon," said Russ Mitchell, a Los Angeles resident.

Friday, Scott Rowe, vice president of corporate communications for Warner Bros. Entertainment said the company was monitoring the situation.

"The studio is fairly filled with smoke at the moment," he said. "It's at our back door. I think a couple of our entrances have been closed at this point and we're operating normally but that could change any minute."

CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker reports that Southern California is a tinderbox. Rainfall has been far below normal this year, and now the fire season is starting far earlier than normal.

The region had an extremely dry winter with little rainfall, leaving much of the area parched. Humidity also was low, about 10 percent, which makes vegetation burn more easily.

[firenrescue1]

Consider this: Based on pre-existing conditions, this fire was destined to happen. Based on forecasted conditions, more fires are destined to happen. My point: This fire might be a blessing in that it happened now instead of later... it's only going to get drier around here and fires are only going to get bigger.

[gramljon]

This headline is very misleading. The story talks about two different fires, but the headline makes it seam that they arte one in the same, as if Hollywood is under threat of fire, spreading panic. CBS News can do better than this.

[firststate]

newster1
Before building on a Ca. hillside, the geological study and report can cost as much as a house in other states. Construction costs are also higher because of quake specific safety requirements. A $2 million dollar house isn't that big a deal when a 50 year old 2-3 bedroom fixer-upper can run $400,000 or more. Quake damage requires separate coverage. It's expensive and deductibles are staggering. The quake deductable alone would be more than most major remodelling costs. Fire insurance costs in fire-prone areas also reflect increased risks.

Insurance costs in California, like everywhere are based upon risks and property values. Californians are no more likely to plan on insurance proceeds from quakes or wildfires to remodel than people in the rest of the country are to plan their remodelling around the risks where they live like hurricanes, tornadoes and/or floods. Rate-payers in other states pay no more because of California's quake and wildfire losses than Californians and everyone pays for the hurricane, tornado or flood losses that happen in other areas. There's insurance coverage everywhere because everywhere has its risks.

[randalds]

RandalDS,

You had better run for your life, man!

Posted by george2221 at 08:00 AM : Apr 01, 2007

You're right! Obviously god is out to burn this old atheist down! LOL!

[nothappyatall]

"his is definitely a message from God. Christ is coming back with FIRE this time, it was water the last time, but this time it will be with FIRE. the great deceptions, the SIGNS and lying wonders, the wars and rumours of wars, the earthquakes in divers places, (Tsunami) It's all coming folks...."

LOL some weak message that is, let's see something BIG like the sky on fire or something, a rinky dink forest fire is child's play, there's forest fires and mud slides every summer because the fools who live in those hills build their houses on unstable steep hills, they refuse to clear away brush and trees and it's a proven earthquake zone.

So surprise surprise! build you home in a place that has a long HISTORY of fires, floods, quakes, mud slides and then act surprised when one of those events happens. Thing is, these same people have insurance and the insurance companies foot the bills to replace these $2 million mansions over and over and over again.

I suspect these people use these events as a remodelling excuse- get tired of your current decor? want new furniture to replace that tired old last year's stuff? need a new sportscar because yours is a whole year old? just wait for the NEXT fire, quake or mudslide, get your new replacement home, furniture and cars and put it all right back up in the SAME location as before and wait till the next fire to update again at the expense of the insurance rate payers- thats US.

[sjw1253]

I will say to anyone who is down on these kids that... they did admit to the terrible mistake.

I cannot determine from this article what the circumstances were that caused them to set the fire... I can imagine that they did something they were not supposed to do that inadvertantly caused the fire.

I have been impressed that the kids turned themselves in. Again, I do not know the circumstances but am impressed that the kids were honest.

In today's world - that says a lot.

[rray52]

RandalDS

You%u2019re right. CBS has a ongoing problem with their headlines. You would think they would do a better job considering they are professionals.

[randalds]

The title of this article is incorrect. the Hollywood blaze is all but out. The new fire is in Hesperia and is quite a distance away. The two fires are not connected in anyway beyond the fact that we're in for a terrible fire season this year. lots of bad fires to come because of the awful drought throughout the region.

[bmsbms29]

We need to start having kids pay for their 'mistakes' and not just get a reprimand. If their parents are not teaching them what is right or wrong then the law needs to punish them for their 'mistakes.'

Parents also need to be held accountable! Maybe then other parents would realize they are suppose to be parents & not 'friends' to their kids.

I realize some kids will do bad no matter what but a lot just need discipline in their lives.

[randalds]

I would have never came to any board and said oh look at those black people... they're always doing that... blah blah blah like good ole Randal tried to do about "Rednecks"... then Randal comes here and goes on and on about how he's not a "Racist." Tell us some more stuff Randal, you're so smart....
Posted by truthword at 04:29 AM : Mar 31, 2007

Ok. Rednecks are not a race.

[nothappyatall]

"Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said two teens from Illinois were in custody and told authorities they caused the fire. "

Nice, go visiting out of state and burn them down, I say make them and their parents responsible for the costs- send them a BILL, if they can't pay it TOO BAD, take their house, car and everything they own and then the four of them go to jail till they can cough up the money working in the prison for $2 an hour.

[rohink-2009]

Posted by neoconRcrazy

Did you also post the plight of the palestinian people on the Marie Osmond and husband are getting a divorce sight? Keep up the good work. The palestinians thank you.

[bobgee_1999]

truthword: Maybe doing good to a homeless person would carry more weight if you weren't doing it for mercenary reasons, i.e., recruiting purposes.

As it says in Ephesians: %u201CFor by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast."

It's a shame you are so desperate for "mercy and love" that you can't find it anywhere but a 2,000 year old book.

Anyway, about that Hollywood sign... These stupid kids need to realize that people risk their lives putting out fires. If a firefighter dies, they're up for homicide.

[lambofgoth]

didntinhale - maybe you should have.

[hypnotoad72]

Teenagers are known for being rebellious little sods, but something about this seems more malevolent than usual.

Add in 10 year olds who think they can beat people with bricks and we've got a HUGE problem.

[djconklin]

"He said they were "old enough to know what they were doing.""

Yeah, right! We have so-called adults who just can't resist commenting off the story by posting their beliefs about something that is totally unrelated to the story at hand! And they do this over and over and over again! They just can't help themselves!

[bmanther]

The court should teach all involved, parents and the kids, a memorable lesson. Make them pay, in cash, for all of the bills for putting out the fires and cleaning up the mess. There is no better lesson than having to PAY for your actions.

[swwils]

Fire bugs,they better deal with them accordingly or they will do it again.But of course some bleeding hearts will suggest that they are only kids,so they probably will go unpunished!

[truthword]

These Christians you're thinking about are the eye for an eye types, the "justice" types, I'm not looking for justice Randal, I'm looking for mercy and love. Those are the old testament types from before Jesus, Jesus wouldn't execute anyone, Jesus wouldn't bomb anyone, he'd rather let you kill him than do something like that, even though he could easily. These people you think of Christians like Bush and Falwell were sent by satan to deceive you into rejecting Jesus Christ and being empowered by the Lord. You know "religion" Randal, you don't know Jesus, and he isn't going to know you either. So go ahead and keep on making fun of Christians, your time will eventually come, Jesus loves us all, we're all Gods children, and he's giving everyone time to pick their side, but he's only going to wait so long to separate the wheat from the chaff, and when that time comes if you don't have Jesus then you're just chaff my friend. Goodnight Randal, I'm going to bible study at a friends house in the late morning and have to get up in 3-4 hours, then my friend and I are going to go find some homeless person, feed them, clothe them, find them someplace to stay even if it's only for a couple days, whatever we can afford, empower them with the spirit of Jesus, and set them on their way to a better life. That's what real Christians do Randal, I hope you'll find something to live for someday other than yourself.

[truthword]

Here's the deal Randal, and I do apologize for being hard on you, you're not of God so you don't understand Gods word, most people that claim to be Christians aren't. True Christians will stand up for rightousness in the name of Jesus no matter what, against anyone.

When Jesus told his disciples to take up my cross and follow me he wasn't going on no picnic. Who killed Jesus Christ Randal? the government at the time did that's who, just like the government of today would right now, he was a threat to their kingdom, he stood up for what is right, and even them killing him couldn't make him hate them, even them doing that couldn't make him lower himself to go down to their level.