SoCal Firefighters: "We Can't Stop It"

Officials Say If 100-MPH Gusts Continue, "The Beast" Won't Stop Until It Reaches The Pacific

(CBS/AP)  It's a fight to the death with what firefighters call "the beast."

And right now "the beast" is winning, reports CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric.

Faced with unrelenting winds whipping wildfires into a frenzy across Southern California, firefighters all but conceded defeat Tuesday to an unstoppable force that has chased more than 500,000 people from their homes.

Unless the shrieking Santa Ana winds subside, and that's not expected for at least another day, fire crews say they can do little more than try to wait it out and react -- tamping out spot fires and chasing ribbons of airborne embers to keep new fires from flaring.

“If it's this big and blowing with as much wind as it's got, it'll go all the way to the ocean before it stops,” said San Diego Fire Capt. Kirk Humphries. “We can save some stuff but we can't stop it.”

Smaller fires are merging to form giant infernos, creating pillars of smoke that can be seen from space, reports Couric.

Tentacles of unpredictable, shifting flame have burned across nearly 600 square miles, killing two people, destroying more than 1,600 homes and prompting the biggest evacuation in California history, from north of Los Angeles, through San Diego to the Mexican border.

Triple digit heat is pushing the 6,000 firefighters to their limits. Some of these men and women have been at it now for 36 hours straight, as modified airliners skim the hilltops to drop mile-long lines of flame-retardant chemicals, reports Couric.

“When they drop retardant, when they drop water, it’s literally turning to mist,” because the winds are so strong it dissipates, said Matt Streck of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The 70-mile-per-hour Santa Ana winds make it nearly impossible to predict where the fire will go next. Just as crews prepare to make a stand, they get outflanked by embers that hop the lines and explode into new fires.

“You won’t see a Santa Ana fire come down on you until it’s too late,” said Streck.

President Bush, whose administration was criticized for its handling of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, declared a federal emergency for seven counties, a move that will speed disaster-relief efforts. He also planned a visit to the region Thursday, and the Pentagon said it has sent troops and equipment.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said the flames were threatening 68,000 more homes.

“We have had an unfortunate situation that we've had three things come together: very dry areas, very hot weather and then a lot of wind,” Schwarzenegger said. “And so this makes the perfect storm for a fire.”

The fires also affected some of California's celebrity residents, threatening the oceanfront town of Malibu where many stars like Mel Gibson, Cher, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Nick Nolte, Jennifer Aniston, Mel Brooks, Ryan O'Neal and others have homes.

In Rancho Santa Fe, a suburb north of San Diego, houses burned just yards from where fire crews fought to contain flames engulfing other properties. In the mountain community of Lake Arrowhead, cabins and vacation homes went up in flames with no fire crews in sight.

More than a dozen wildfires blowing across Southern California since Sunday have also injured more than 45 people, including 21 firefighters.

Los Angeles County's Santa Clarita residents fought all night to save their homes, reports CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker.

“It was my home for 40 years and now it’s gone,” said one resident.

The U.S. Forest Service earlier reported a fire death in Santa Clarita, but officials said Tuesday that information was erroneous. The one confirmed death occurred over the weekend, authorities said, and the person has been identified as Thomas Varshock, who died after he ignored warnings to evacuate and authorities left to take care of other evacuations, the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office said.

Besides Varshock, the San Diego medical examiner's officer listed four deaths as connected to the wildfires. Three were people in their 90s who died from natural causes; the fourth was a woman who died after falling at a restaurant.

All are considered fire-connected deaths because they occurred during or after evacuations.

A dozen firefighters battling blazes in Orange County had to deploy emergency shelters, a last resort when they are surrounded by flames.

Orange County's fire chief angrily declared it didn't have to happen, reports CBS News correspondent John Blackstone.

“It’s an absolute fact that had we more air resources we would have been able to control this fire,” said Orange County Fire Authority Chief Chip Prather.

[l8c6]

With some 245,957 acres, or 384 square miles, ablaze, President Bush declared a federal emergency for seven Southern California counties, a move that will speed disaster-relief efforts. ----Bush

Should the federal government really be involved here? What''s with the inconsistency of the right wing. Milton Friedman, their prized neo con economist said government should only be in the business of providing defense security. Bombs won''t fight this fire. The lord Jesus might or Church groups can help along with state and local governments but federal government should not be interfering anymore than it should interfere with child healthcare. Oh, wait, this is an emergent situation. Well, get those private contractors in there. Haliburton can do an efficient job with using the tax payers money.

[janeenmj]

I would like to see a map that shows the various fires and how far apart they are, how far they are from city centers, etc. as I don''t know the names/locations of all of the areas mentioned in the piece, but have driven the area a number of times. It would make the piece more interesting to me.

[riggie3]

Back in ''99, the San Diego papers were running stories about how the mass home building on every hill was going to be problematic for residents, because the developers were not alloting for the water supplies. There would not be enough water to help these communities in draught or disaster. The end result was that as long as the developers were lining their pockets, and Californians were willing to buy, despite the facts, no one cared. These were some of the homes lost in the last fire, and some of these similar neighborhoods are victum today.
Man thinks he can do anything, go anywhere..... There are limits to where we belong.
Example- New Orleans -I still haven''t met anyone with gils. How STUPID

[MIpapaof4]

California is still paying for their wayward ways. Let''s see now, gay marriages, the Hollywood crowd, enough said here, and their wife swapping parties. God is now seeking revenge on these people. Let''s face it, California is not the place to be. Earthquakes, mudslides and fires. There is a quote here in the midwest that goes, ''can''t get lost in California because there is aides on every corner". You are now paying, again, for your dastardly ways. When will you learn?

[lawyertom1]

The ecology of Southern California is Sonoran desert. Low rainfall. Also, the fire and growth cycle is part of the natural system. So, it is no surprise that these out-of-control wildfires happen.

Like building in flood zones, it is no surprise that lots of homes are endangered when homes are built is such areas.

Our government at work.

[bthrasher102]

I8c6: Bombs actually would probably do some good since they could be used to either create large firebreaks or used like they are in oil field fires to simply use up all of the oxygen. I''m guessing this is an environmental hazard and isn''t allowed.

[jetranger7]

BEER Drinkers Unite and help put out those flames, drink up, and let it out, right on the fires !!!

[gramto7]

California is still paying for their wayward ways. Let''''s see now, gay marriages, the Hollywood crowd, enough said here, and their wife swapping parties. God is now seeking revenge on these people. Let''''s face it, California is not the place to be. Earthquakes, mudslides and fires. There is a quote here in the midwest that goes, ''''can''''t get lost in California because there is aides on every corner". You are now paying, again, for your dastardly ways. When will you learn?

Posted by MIpapaof4 at 10:16 AM

You are so full of bovine fecal material that your eyes must surely be brown! Do you truly believe that California is the only place that has what you consider ''problems''? I''m sure you think MI is just fine! What a total load of above mentioned matter you are!

[robaldrich]

QUICK, Call Al Gore . . . he''ll save us. Save the environment . . . STOP putting those fires out.

The water being used to put out the fires is even worse for the environment than CO2:

"The major greenhouse gases are water vapor, which causes about 36-70% of the greenhouse effect on Earth (not including clouds); carbon dioxide, which causes 9-26%; methane, which causes 4-9%, and ozone, which causes 3-7%." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_gas

Who knows how much global warming has been caused by man putting fires out in the last century, instead of letting them burn themselves out like it used to be.

[riggie3]

The next disaster will be for those to collect insurance $$. With the depreciation in the market, and back to back disasters (Katrina, Rita, Florida...) I''m sure the insurance company CEO''s are going over every loophole they can. The next storm will be financial. Even if the gov helps, the $$ will sit in red tape, as usual, and fraud will be rampant. They will hire illegals, claiming they are needed, because Americans won''t do the work. Get ready.....

[scoliosuxs]

I went through Katrina managing only to see damage happen to others around me. Our family was spared except for some shingles on an older home. I can''t imagine what it must be like to have a fire storm coming at you. My heart goes out to everyone affected by this tragedy. I hope FEMA stays out of it otherwise you will see what the Federal MISmanagement Agency can do for you.

[jumkey]

LawyerTom1:

The climate here in So Cal is called "mediterranean". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_climate

The desert adjoining the coastal area is mostly Mojave, not Sonoran (with the exception being the southern Arizona portion).

Driving along the I-15 today I saw houses built right along the freeway burnt - that is, not in scrub areas but in standard tracts of of suburban homes. So yes I was "surprised" when homes burn in such areas.

And BTW, "our government" did an exceptional job fighting these fires. From the police who drove the neighborhoods warning of the coming fire to the firefighters who fought them to the county officials who stayed up all night coordinating the efforts "our government" performed brilliantly. With 100,000 acres and +700 houses burned there have so far been only 1 reported fatality.

I doubt you could have done better.

[killtheliars]

Not only are the Calif National Guard in Iraq, instead of Calif where they could be fighting the fires, but now it turns out that fire prevention funds were cut by Bush to halp pay for HIS oil war.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070402/news_1n2fire.html
Check out this article from last april.
It is time to start impeachmant proceedings. Even if we cannot kick him out of office until his last day, it will still humiliate and humble the arrogant son of a bitc.h. Prison time would be nice to but I am not holding my breath.

[sgtrds]

As someone proudly living in Southern California let me say that we do not want or need anything from George W. Bush! We don''t want his lying words, his fake sympathy or his phony photo ops. Just shut up and stay away from here moron! You''re NOT welcome here!

[sgtrds]

And BTW, "our government" did an exceptional job fighting these fires. From the police who drove the neighborhoods warning of the coming fire to the firefighters who fought them to the county officials who stayed up all night coordinating the efforts "our government" performed brilliantly. With 100,000 acres and +700 houses burned there have so far been only 1 reported fatality.

I doubt you could have done better.

Posted by jumkey at 11:58 AM : Oct 23, 2007

Absolutely! I am very very proud of how our government, under the leadership of Arnie, has responded to this disaster on all levels. He proves that you don''t have to be an incompetent idiot to be a republican. He is also only the 2nd republican I have ever voted for in my 50 years (Jerry Ford the other) because he has shown that if you actually practice what the republican party preaches and mix in real caring for what the people want and need, you can be a good leader of all of the people you work for.

On the more local level our fire and police services have done their usual fantastic job. They may be much maligned to some outsiders, but those of us who live here know the vast majority of them are good, honest and hardworking men and women.

[neoconslayer]

Oh My God!
Can you believe it!?
The same thing that happens every year at the same time and the same place is happening again!
No one could have predicted it!

[jetranger7]

Ohhhh-NO,, here comes the 9.7 magnitude EartQuake !! Run everybody-Run !!!!!

[truthspeake2]

Get ready everyone...the greedy insurance companies will create a new form insurance called "FireStorm Coverage" after this debacle.

[jack3213]

Nostradomis predicted floods, fires, and ice storms. In a way, this is not surprising, as Mother Nature reeks havok and there is little that can be done to control it. I compliment all those who have saved lives, and I condemn those on this blog who are cynical and narcissitic and just plain mean, not necessary folks. Blaming government ( Bush, etc) is plain childish nonsense. Perhaps you are not qualified to vote if you feel it is someones fault this is happening. Prey for them and be grateful you are safe today.

[name_verify]

This is all the Libs fault. Environmentalists refused to let anybody cut out the old growth dead vegetation which is the explosive fuel for these kinds of fires.

[oscarez]

"if you actually practice what the republican party preaches and mix in real caring for what the people want and need"

What does the republican party preach except cutting taxes for the rich, spying on Americans, to hate abortion and kicking gay*s.

If Arnie talks like a Democrat and Arnie walks like a Democrat he must be a Democrat in Republican clothing. I don''t think we will see any help from Bush in San Diego.

[susanhelit]

Dummies - this is San Diego. There is no old growth. There is only scrubbrush. And it burned 4 years ago. You''ve got no way to blame this on environmentalists - unless you want to blame them for not stopping the global warming that dried all the scrubbrush out and made Santa Ana winds that are of nearly unheard of strength and duration.

San Diego doesn''t have old growth forests. We don''t have old growth anything. And this fire is burning right on the same track as one 4 years ago. Yeesh! Some people act like they''re deathly allergic to facts!

[solarwin-2009]

Hey screen_ident, you''re such an friggin'' ignorant fool.

These people in California live in the DESERT! If it wasn''t for the California developers piping all the water in from the Colorado River, they wouldn''t be there! This isn''t the environmentalists fault, it''s nature.

[oscarez]

"This is all the Libs fault. Environmentalists refused to let anybody cut out the old growth dead vegetation which is the explosive fuel for these kinds of fires.
Posted by screen_ident at 01:48 PM : Oct 23, 2007"

We pesky Libs and Environmentalists invented fire and caused all the high Santa Ana winds. Shame on us.

[solarwin-2009]

Hey screen_ident, you''re such an friggin'' ignorant fool.

These people in California live in the DESERT! If it wasn''t for the California developers piping all the water in from the Colorado River, they wouldn''t be there! This isn''t the environmentalists fault, it''s nature.

[incog-nito]

Don''t feel bad about these homeowners. They''re a tough bunch. They will be back and rebuild again, until the next fire comes along. Did I tell you they''re a tough bunch? Not very smart, but tough.

[newsreader57]

this is worse than sad. I looked at the photos and saw those two little girls crying their eyes out. OMG! I went through hurricane Andrew, but our house was almost totaly intact. I can''t imagine going through what the people in California are having to deal with.

[omded]

Screen Ident,
You''re right to a point. A lot of today''s "superfires" are the result of restrictions on the clearing of brush in our forested areas, and the suppression of natural fires, which tend to keep brush from accumulating in such huge quantities as exist today. However, most of the homes being burned now are not a result of this mismanagement. Most of the homes being burned right now are burning because their owners were too *** lazy to get out and clear the brush from around their property. There are no laws preventing them from doing so, only a lack of inclination. I suppose they could blame it on the NFL, because a lot of them could have been out cutting weeds instead of watching the big games last weekend. But, in this case, they''re paying for their own laziness, and not the sins of other people.

[sgtrds]

godlyfear

ROTFLMFAO!!!!! What a tool!

[badmofojim]

Some of you may be offended by this comment, but that''''s okay. This comment is not written to please everyone, just those who heed what the Bible says.
It''''s time to wake up AMERICA! When we try to remove God from everything and we decide to fellowship with darkness(wickedness)then we can rest assured, these things (fires, floods, earthquakes and the like) will continue. Check your Bibles those of you who have one, 2 Chronicles 7:14 states, If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
What else does the Bible say: Matthew 24:7-8 there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by godlyfear at 02:36 PM : Oct 23, 2007
+ report abuse


I.e The world is comming to a end like it has been for the last 10 thousand years. Awsome lets incite world wide panic and have millions killed in last day alive scheems.

[omded]

godlyfear,
I hardly think these are the results of our disobedience to your "holy book". A lot of the current events are also explained - in fact explained much better - by scientific reality. Religious fiction only serves to whip you into shape so you''ll obey your priestly masters. You might want to creep up next to one of those burning fires and drop your "holy book" into it. If it''s truly "holy", maybe it will put out the fire. If it isn''t, you''ll be spared from a lot of wasted time reading it in the future.

[vampire1288]

It has been raining reallyn hard here in and around the ohio river for 2 days now really storming,,n ky and s indiana we would be glad to semd the california people some water right now..too bad there isn''t a trmoundus pipe system to take water where it is needed most. perhaps if we took the budget for the war in iraq and spent it on the needs of the people we would all be a bit safer in our homes....

[taotxzen]

Ive lived in California and Texas, I%u2019ll take the fires and quakes over the Southern Baptist all day long.

[omded]

Uhhh, USMCVN,
It think it was probably Santa Claus'' fault. I heard he was practicing his touch and goes Sunday afternoon, and a spark from his sleigh lit off all of this mess...

[maiingan]

"Monolithic Dome Survives Engulfing Flames of California Wildfires" at http://www.monolithic.com/homes/braswell_fire/index.html

[ladyjaneg]

godly fear,
I just want to say thank you for posting your opinion and your thoughts. I also think it was very wise of you to prepare yourself for negative comments. With all due respect to every poster here, it just seems as though whenever somoene shares something in their holy book....Bible, Koran, Talmud, whatever, we jump on them and jam science down their throats. Pretty much the same way you think they are diong to us. Maybe we''re all right, maybe we''re all wrong.
And I can just imagine the rude posts I will get in response to this cautious, polite one.

[linkeller]

I can''t believe what I read! This isn''t about blame...or God raining down on a "sinful" land...who cares where the help comes from or why the fires are there at this point?! The point is that it''s happening and there are people like you and me struggling to keep going...losing their homes and all their positions. They need help from where ever they can get it! And they need our support and for those of us who believe in it, prayer. It burns me up to see anyone use a tragic situation like this where peoples lives and homes are at stake to preach their own agenda...whether it''s religion or politics!! I doubt very seriously you''d be thinking about that if you were in their shoes!

[sgtrds]

Ive lived in California and Texas, I%u2019ll take the fires and quakes over the Southern Baptist all day long.

Posted by taotxzen at 02:56 PM : Oct 23, 2007

Amen!

[sevenveils]

godlyfear - you fear the unknown and something that has no proof of existence except in your unimaginative mind. You have been brain washed into believeing in something other than your self. Don''t even try to pass your fear and superstition to others.

[j-whitman]

smcvn,,,, I just talked to my daughter in Camp Pendelton... They now have a fire in the middle of the base, last night her housing was evacuated. She''s still on base in another location & they are about to be evacuated from there,,,,,, They have **** poor communications on the base to update their familys. ------ I think a good chunk of Bush''s war funding should be sent there....

[godlyfear]

Godless fools say in their hearts, "There is no God." They are corrupt. They do disgusting things. There is no one who does good things. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.

[juliemd]

Yeah, it''s all God''s fault...boo hoo.

[j-whitman]

SgtRDS,,,,, Amen bro,, These freaks need to have thier own political party -- It would make our country much safer & the world as well.

[sgtrds]

Godless fools say in their hearts, "There is no God." They are corrupt. They do disgusting things.

Posted by godlyfear at 03:19 PM : Oct 23, 2007

Yeah, but only when asked to by a really cute girl.......

[xzavierbrown]

everything that is happening is an indication that we are nothing but a bunch of insignificant squatters for mother nature.

[sgtrds]

Arnie was just on TV doing a news conference. He comes across as smart, well informed, calm, competent and organized. Is he SURE he''s a republican?

I''ve said it before, he proves that you don''t have to be an incompetent idiot to be a republican politician.

[sgtrds]

SgtRDS,,,,, Amen bro,, These freaks need to have thier own political party --

Posted by j-whitman at 03:23 PM : Oct 23, 2007

And their own country. I say let ''em have Texas!

[xzavierbrown]

Posted by SgtRDS at 03:27 PM : Oct 23, 2007
+ report abuse


******

I heard Al Franken is running for office..as a liberal democrat.

[j-whitman]

xzavierbrown,,, "Insignificant" ??? Call youself & your corrupt ******* political learedrs insignificant & incompetent fools for ignoring & causing the problems we have, for political power & greed

[xzavierbrown]

Posted by usmcvn at 03:29 PM : Oct 23, 2007
+ report abuse

******

mother nature did what the liberals been trying to do for decades..CLOSE THE BASE DOWN.

when you see a liberal..say semper fi for me will ya