Calif. Wildfires Destroy 655 Homes

1 Dead, Dozens Hurt; 10,000 Of 265,000 Evacuees At Qualcomm Stadium

(CBS/AP)  Parts of seven California counties were ablaze. By nightfall, embers had ignited spot fires in ultrawealthy Rancho Santa Fe, a suburb north of San Diego. The fires burned in lemon orchards, their smoke choking the air around gated mansions.

Firefighters complained that their efforts to stop the flames were delayed when they were confronted by people who refused to leave their homes.

"They didn't evacuate at all, or delayed until it was too late," said Bill Metcalf, a fire boss. "And those folks who are making those decisions are actually stripping fire resources."

As flames, thick smoke and choking ash filled the air around San Diego County's Lake Hodges, Stan Smith ignored orders to evacuate and stayed behind to help rescue the horses of his neighbor Ken Morris.

"It's hard to leave all your belongings and take off, and the bad thing is you can't get back in once you leave," Smith said.

"I heard the cops come by, and I just ducked," Morris said.

Besides, said Smith, "Lots of time the fire doesn't ever come. It's come really close before. I've seen it so bad you couldn't even hear yourself talk over the flames and ash blowing everywhere."

Black smoke blanketed much of northern San Diego and nearby suburbs as flames hopscotched around homes in Rancho Bernardo, a community with many elderly people, destroying one of every 10 homes on one busy street.

Highways, canals and other features normally act as firebreaks. But the towering flames and flying embers rendered them useless this time.

Dozens of motorists gathered on an Interstate 15 overpass in San Diego to watch flames race up a hillside and engulf at least a half-dozen homes. Witnesses said they watched flames jump west across the 10-lane freeway.

"The flames were like 100 feet high and it moved up the hill in seconds. It was at the bottom, it was in the middle, and then it was at the top," said Steve Jarrett, who helped a friend evacuate his home in nearby Escondido.

Fire near the San Diego Wild Animal Park led authorities to move condors, a cheetah, snakes and other animals to the fire-resistant veterinary hospital on the grounds of the park. The large animals, such as elephants, rhinos and antelope, were left in irrigated enclosures.

The world-famous San Diego Zoo was not immediately threatened.

Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in the seven affected counties, opening the way for government aid. He also made 1,500 California National Guardsmen available, and San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders said the troops' main focus would be to prevent looting and help with evacuations.

"It's a tragic time for California," the governor said in Malibu, where a church, homes and a mansion resembling a medieval castle were destroyed over the weekend.

White House deputy press secretary Scott Stanzel said in an e-mail that President Bush called Schwarzenegger to make sure the state is getting the help it needs.

One person died in one of the fires near San Diego. More than a dozen people were hospitalized with burns and smoke inhalation, including four firefighters, three of whom were listed in critical condition, officials said. Some of the injured were hikers, while others may be illegal immigrants.

Among the evacuees were members of a National Guard unit that had to flee its barracks, officials said.

Flames forced the evacuation of the San Diego community of Ramona, which has a population of about 36,000.

Christine Baird, 42, was ordered to evacuate her apartment in the Rancho Bernardo area at 5:30 a.m. She moved to California from Canada earlier this year.

"Instead of snow we had ash all over the car," she said. "This is all new for me. We've got no family in the area, so there's really nowhere else to go."

[stopthewarrr]

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[tnt1954]

should it be illegal to believe in God? punishable
by death? for the atheist scientist--tell me
the origin of space itself?

[gkc99]

"On the October 22 edition of his nationally syndicated radio program, host Glenn Beck stated, %u201CI think there is a handful of people who hate America. Unfortunately for them, a lot of them are losing their homes in a forest fire today.%u201D Beck continued"



The joke''s on Beck. Those San Diego and Orange county suburbs are Repugniscum country.

Maybe it''s God''s punishment of California Reaganite Conservatives for mocking Al Gore''s statements about climate change!

[taotxzen]

What a jerk.

On the October 22 edition of his nationally syndicated radio program, host Glenn Beck stated, %u201CI think there is a handful of people who hate America. Unfortunately for them, a lot of them are losing their homes in a forest fire today.%u201D Beck continued: %u201CThere are a few people that hate America. But I don%u2019t think the Democrats are those. I think there are those posing as Democrats that are like that.%u201D Beck%u2019s comment came as forest fires ravaged parts of Southern California, leaving one person dead, four firefighters wounded, and forcing about 1,500 people from their homes, according to The New York Times.

[famulla-2009]

The ball is in your coat again.
Sir
Sad but I wonder why America in forefront runner in the IT, weatherman%u2019s went ahead far in the weather manic to get the latest on the storms and did nothing in time. Is this because the poor stay there?
This is the second time after Tsunami storm and we are still pondering not about our boundaries but the boundaries of Iraq , Iran and planting the anti nuke in the EU and defy many in the same process. Why we cannot clean our own floors first beats me
I thank you
Firozali A.Mulla MBA PhD
P.O.Box 6044
Dar-Es-Salaam
Tanzania
East Africa

[mainemade]

Who says "Hell on Earth", doesn''t exist? Here is proof!

[rmsdm4]

why is this news. It happens every year. And guess what it will happen next year. There are 4 certains in life. Death, taxes, cali will burn in the fall, and new orleans floods when it rains.

[socaleruline]

this comment is for the guy who said cali should burn! How could anyone say something like that. we are all americans and we should help each other out no matter what state we live in. Do you know how it feels to be told to be ready to evacuate at anytime? To pack up and leave where you live and not know if your going to be able to come back. Its one of the worst feelings ever! These are people lives we are talking about its not a joke man. I also want to thank all the firefighters for working around the clock. I also pray the wind dies and this all ends and the person who is responsible is found.

[sparks224]

"If Al Gore is to be believed....."
Posted by nottellin1

That crazy Al Gore, boy what a nut job.
It sure is a good thing the Supreme Court stepped in and prevented him from becoming president, huh.

[nottellin1]

Thats right, everyone should move to another state. So Cal is a pretty scary place these days. There will be even more landslides in about 5 months because there will be no plants to hold up the hillsides. If Al Gore is to be believed, the houses in Malibu that don''t burn, the beachfront ones will be flooded. If you''ve been thinking about relocating, now is a good time. LA is due for an earthquake too.

[kennergirl]

It''s rained almost 10 inches of rain today..bring me a hose and a pump and I''ll put out that fire!

I guess everyone will be saying not to rebuild because the risk of fire etc etc. I suppose we all are going to go live where? Idaho? Utah maybe?

[sonotso]

'' ... maybe edible algae and mushroom knick knack artwork could store and possibly even lever or multiply water molecules and microbes ... maybe since we can turn acorns into atomic stars, we can turn acorns into atomic stomachs and forego all the consumption anyways ... ''


'' ... of course you have options, you have the option to invest all your money and votes in baby raping warfare ... ''

[danlies]

This make the case for Bluebird R.V.s and concrete dome houses.

[alittlebird]

What''s the big deal about evacuation? Try moving 260k people while surrounded by fire. Evacuation sights are being evacuated. Since 03 we''ve tried to be responsible (outlawing wood roofs, making fire buffer clearings, and clearing brush) but the winds are merciless.

This is an act of terrorism by nature and no one else.

[stezzer]

I hope Oliva Newton-John''s house is okay. I rather like her.

[l8c6]

Blackwater needs a fire fighting division. Such a private endeavor could continue collecting taxes from all americans and even take dips into social security. The efficiency and cost savings would be more precise. More surgical and strategic delivery to the americans who should get premier service could be attained. The ones who have more shares in america. The ones who pay most of the taxes and make jobs for all the losers who work with their hands in the streets.

[l8c6]

It''''s all Bush''''s fault.

LOL

Posted by MCVett

Illusive covert right wingers would want all to believe it''s all about Bush. For at least the past 30 years an illusive right wing movement has placed mascots for the republican party in the most executive office of our government, the presidency. Other politicians who have gained access via the other party have been caustically assaulted with litigation. Millions of taxpayer dollars were spent by the right wing on white water, impeachment over a BJ etc., largely to no avail. This from the movement that complains about activist judges and frivolous lawsuits.

The labels, the "liberal elite" Ha, the right wing conservative controlling arrogant elite is the problem.

[sparks224]

"We need to ship all foreigners back where the hell they came from."
Posted by Elichez1

Right On Dude!
I want to send all those Native Americans back to where they came from!
And they can take ther casino''s with them too!

[wwyoud]

CBS, please stick to the news and stop dragging religious references to satan into your stories; it''s unprofessional. One would think you''re hoping to get rights to the Left Behind series...

[mh4cbs1]

Disaster? This is nothing. In not all that many years from now global warming will leave the Sierra Nevada''s without any snowpack. You can then kiss California agriculture goodbye, along with easy access to drinking water.