As Fires Dwindle, Californians Head Home

San Diego Chargers To Play At Qualcomm Stadium Sunday, Homeless Look Elsewhere For Shelter

(CBS/AP)  With some of the worst wildfires dying down, many Southern Californians lucky enough to find their homes still standing could nevertheless face hardships for weeks to come, including polluted air, no electricity and no drinking water.

Power lines are down in many burned-over areas, and the smoke and ash could irritate people's lungs for as long as the blazes keep burning.

Randy and Aimee Powers returned to this mountain community in San Diego County on Friday to find their home without electricity or water, after fire trucks drained the town's reservoir.

"It's better to be at home. We're going to stick it out and do whatever we have to do up here to survive. We'll make it through," said Randy Powers, who joined a half-mile-long car caravan on
Ramona's Aqua Lane.

Residents of 10,000 Ramona homes who called the water department when they found their water turned off were greeted by a recorded phone message that said: "We are in extreme water crisis situation. No water use is allowed."

Thousands of evacuees returned to neighborhoods stripped bare, but other communities remained emptied because of blazes that continue to threaten. While the danger had eased considerably since the weekend, numerous fires were still burning out of control, and one in Orange County triggered renewed efforts to evacuate residents Friday.

In San Diego County, the area hardest hit, only one of five major fires was more than 50 percent contained. In the Lake Arrowhead mountain resort area of San Bernardino County, one of two
fires that have destroyed more than 300 homes was 70 percent contained, while the other was only 15 percent contained.

In Orange County, local authorities, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were investigating a fire that blackened 26,000 acres and destroyed 14 homes near Irvine. The blaze was 30 percent contained, but it was sending up a massive plume of smoke at late afternoon.

Authorities believe that blaze was deliberately set and asked for help finding a white Ford F-150 seen in the area where the fire started.

Orange County Fire Chief Kris Concepcion tells CBS News that the public has called in more than 150 tips so far.

Five people have been arrested for arson since wildfires broke out across Southern California this week, but none has been linked to any of the major blazes.

In San Diego, shelters were clearing out Friday; the last of more than 10,000 displaced residents who sought refuge at Qualcomm Stadium were to have left by day's end - making way for Sunday's game between the San Diego Chargers and the Houston Texans.

The NFL said it had decided against relocating.

Mayor Jerry Sanders said the league informed him it intended to play the game as scheduled. The city would be able to provide enough public safety personnel to handle the game without impeding wildfire recovery efforts, Sanders said in a news release.

Officials have opened assistance centers where displaced residents can get help with insurance, rebuilding and mental health counseling.

"The challenge now is starting to rebuild and getting them the resources they need to do that," San Diego County spokeswoman Lesley Kirk said Friday. "The county and city of San Diego are very committed to helping these people."

Although crews are starting to gain the upper hand in many of the fires, CBS News correspondent Sandra Hughes says they are taking nothing for granted because the area is still bone dry.

Southeast of San Diego, a fire that already has destroyed more than 1,000 homes was churning its way toward Julian. The town of 3,000, nestled in the rolling hills of a popular apple-growing region, was under mandatory evacuation.

East of San Diego, firefighters were trying to keep flames from Lake Morena, which is surrounded by hundreds of homes.

"Until you get a control line around each and every individual fire, there's a potential of them blowing out anywhere," said Fred Daskoski, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

CBS News correspondent Steve Futterman reports that as firefighters take control of the Witch Creek fire, "The good news is that even though the hillside is on fire there's virtually no wind so it's not moving anywhere."

Fires in seven Southern California counties have raced across 494,355 acres - about 772 square miles - in less than a week. They were fanned earlier by Santa Ana winds that produced gusts topping 100 mph.

Of the 1,800 homes lost so far, 80 percent were in San Diego County, where several fires remained far from being fully contained. The property damage there alone surpassed $1 billion.

The state has come under criticism for failing to deploy sufficient aerial support in the wildfires' crucial first hours. An Associated Press investigation revealed that nearly two dozen water-dropping helicopters and two cargo planes sat idle, grounded by government rules and bureaucracy as flames spread.

The Navy, Marine and California National Guard helicopters were grounded for a day partly because state rules require all firefighting choppers to be accompanied by state forestry "fire spotters" who coordinate water or retardant drops. By the time those spotters arrived, the high winds made flying too dangerous.

Additionally, the National Guard's C-130 cargo planes were not part of the firefighting arsenal because long-needed retrofits have yet to be completed. The tanks they need to carry thousands of gallons of fire retardant were promised four years ago.

"When you look at what's happened, it's disgusting, inexcusable foot-dragging that's put tens of thousands of people in danger," Republican U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher said.

The wildfires are directly blamed for killing three people, a 52-year-old man in Tecate along the Mexican border and a couple in Escondido. Their bodies were discovered in the charred remains of their hillside home. Seven people died of other causes connected to the evacuations.

Border Patrol agents also found four charred bodies in what was believed to be a migrant camp east of San Diego, near the Mexican border. Medical examiners were trying to determine their identities and whether they had died in a fire that destroyed almost 100 homes.

Among the structures threatened Friday was the Palomar Observatory in northern San Diego County. Crews were clearing brush and lighting back burns around the landmark building, Daskoski said.

The observatory, home to the world's largest telescope when it was dedicated in 1948, did not appear to be in immediate danger, said observatory spokesman Scott Kardel, who had been evacuated but was in contact with staff who remained.

[usaprophet]

I want to report a major fire, my friends. Our Constitution is on fire. And it''s currently being burned in Congress. See H.R. 1955, a.k.a., Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007. I couldn''t believe it. Apparently, activists with Web sites are really begining to anger the elite insofar as they are publically holding them accountable for their evil. Here''s a part of the bill, which passed the house on Oct 23, in spite of Congressman, Ron Paul''s opposition thereto. The right to free speech on the Internet is gone, my friends. Look it up for yourself, and weep for your country that our rights have eroded this far. Here''s a short excerpt from the bill''s DEFINITIONS statement: "The development and implementation of methods and processes that can be utilized to prevent violent radicalization, homegrown terrorism, and ideologically based violence in the United States is critical to combating domestic terrorism." Here''s another excerpt from the bill''s FINDINGS statement: "The Internet has aided in facilitating violent radicalization, ideologically based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the United States by providing access to broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to United States citizens." And guess who get''s to decide what is "terrorist-related propaganda?" You got it! The Department of Homeland Insecurity, an agency that''s answerable ONLY to The President. If Ron Paul isn''t elected, our country is doomed!

[bettybb2]

Looks like lessons were learned at Fema after Katrina. But it also looks like more lessons could be learned by both Federal and State. When the big earthquake hits, it is going to make Katrina and the fires look like minor problems.

[thgdriver]

The City of New Orleans---18 feet below sea level, Floods waiting to happen, then when mother nature turns on them my pocket gets picked.

The people of Calif. building their homes right into the Forrest and shrubs, then when mother nature turns on them, My insurance rate goes up.

Stupid is as stupid does.

[thgdriver]

Obviously corruption is alive and well at the White House and CBS.

Posted by grgeng a

Liberal CBS joining the White House? That will be the DAY!!!

[thgdriver]

AS IT TOOK FIVE DAYS TO GET WATER, TO THOSE PEOPLE IN NEW ORLEANS. AGAIN JOB WELL DONE...

STAY THE COURSE..........

Posted by crater7 at 08:53

All we heard from the libs was how incompetent the Repubs. were up to and after Katrina.

The fact that the DEMONRATIC local Mayor had 3 days warning and did NOTHING is never mentioned.

The fact that the DEMONRATIC Governor had the same 3 days, did nothing then sat on her fat asss in Baton Rouge picking her nose trying to think of ways to pass the buck is never mentioned.

The people of New Orleans who think for themselves and not swayed by the biased media BS, liberal BS, Demonratic spin BS. they elected a REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR!!!

Better then a raise in pay!! ROTFLMFAO!!

[jlwesley]

No one agency of our government is capable of handling a disaster as massive as the CA fires or Katrina, they can only struggle to do what is needed in the most timely manner. There is however a big difference between the 2 disasters.

In Katrina, when told to evacuate, they didnt, they left behind their pets and possessions when they did and expected the GOVERNMENT to take care of them, then cried and complained when they didnt get the attention they felt they deserved.

I CA, evacuation orders were followed, the people took what they needed when they left and made arrangements for their animals the best way they could. They took care of themselves and didnt cry and moan about it.

In both areas the population new the dangers of living there, but in one area the population consisted of generations of Welfare recipients demanding that they be taken care of even more, in the other area the population consisted of a class of people who take care of themselves and dont depend on the government for their every need.

I say a big hurray for the people of CA for the class that they displayed in this time of trial and tribulation.

Maybe our government can learn something from them.

[crater7]

SOUNDS LIKE SNIDEGRASS, HAS BEEN SMOKING TO MUCH OF THAT WHACKY BACKY AND LISTENING TO "BY BY MISS AMERICAN PIE".

SOMEONE SHOULD WAKE UP CHENEY AND ASK HIM.

STAY THE COURSE.

[michaelt302]

Haiku!!! LOL, good one Robertkjjj. I was thinking the same thing. He sounds totally nuts!

[robertkjjj]

Snidegrass is either mentally ill, chronically illiterate, or a certified master of MIH(Methamphetamine Induced Haiku). Tell me, does anyone out there have a clue what he is trying to say in his rants, and what they have to do with this story or reality?

[crater7]

ACCORDING TO THE BUSH, ADMINISTRATIONS FAKE NEWS CONFERENCE, ALL IS WELL IN CALIFORNIA.

YOU DONE A HECKA OF A JOB.

THOSE MASSAGES, FREE INTERNET, AND ESCORT SERVICE BACK TO THEIR HOMES WERE ABOVE THE CALL OF DUTY. I''M SURE THOSE KATRINA VICTIMS ARE PROUD OF FEMA''S IMPROVMENTS. IT SURE IS AN IMPROVEMENT, AS IT TOOK FIVE DAYS TO GET WATER, TO THOSE PEOPLE IN NEW ORLEANS. AGAIN JOB WELL DONE...

STAY THE COURSE..........

[mcvet]

guess the liberals are already out looking for some drama..what else did ''''went wrong''''?


Posted by libsluvsuvs at 06:45 PM : Oct 26, 2007
+ report abuse

LOL With Sir Lies-A-Lot you hardly have to LOOK! ROFLMAO Did you catch the leader of the Gestapo and all the concern he had for the poor folks in California at the meeting the other day? ROFLMAO Man that was SOME meditating Darth was doing wasn''t it... then there was the FAKE News Conference!! ROFLMAO You think people have to LOOK for screw ups with the Fraud Bush in control? ROFLMAO Sieg Heil Bush!!

[keithle1]

Used to live in California. Way back when. Would never want to live there again. Too much stuff going on. Wildfires, mudslides, etc.

Funny seeing Schwarzenegger holding that female reporter''s hand. I think she''s from MSNBC. Forget her name. Known for wearing black frame glasses. She''s asking Ahnuld the "tough" questions about the wildfires/state response & he''s saying something to the effect that everything is going to be all right, I know you are looking for problems/mistakes but there aren''t any, etc. Bet that episode went down really well among the women of California. He''d never treat a male reporter like that.

When you become a Governor or mayor & there is a crisis/disaster/emergency, the media is in your face watching every little thing you''re doing. You''re going to be bombarded with questions 24-7. Fact of life as an elected official. If you don''t like it or can''t handle it, go back to showbiz.

[mcvet]

Great! Now someone can wake up Darth and he can get on with his War''s! Oh! Maybe FEMA can hold another Fake News Conference to claim success as well. Sieg Heil Bush!!

[brianbwb-2009]

So what''''s more important-the game or the fact that hundred of persons have no place to stay?
Qualcomm Stadium officials just evicted everyone to make some money,how can anyone be so callous toward the sufferings of others.
Posted by mediapreachr

I know this sounds cold, but the Chargers, and Qualcomm are businesses, they need to make money.

That a few hundred are homeless is sad, but there contracts that must be honored, TV, Radio, Sponsors, etc., maybe 20 mil per game, all included.

Yes, it is sad, but thats capitalism for you. What is even sadder is that those victims who were of a lower income bracket are probably ruined for life, and many of them probably voted for the very officials who were so slow and bureaucratic that they staged a fake news conference with money that could have helped the victims.

[mediapreachr]

So what''s more important-the game or the fact that hundred of persons have no place to stay?
Qualcomm Stadium officials just evicted everyone to make some money,how can anyone be so callous toward the sufferings of others.

[j-whitman]

snidegrass,,,, Did you catch FEMA''s news conference ??? There wasn''t any reporters there,,, They where employes of FEMA, with pre-written questions

[tnt1954]

treasury secretary paulson said its a fine idea.
and they will accept medicaid. but alas, he was
overruled by waxman and president bush. there
will be no sugar with the raw lemons. waxman
banned all smoking in classic piglandia manner.
he even looks like one. with his snout.
rob reiner another one, said no smoking too.
cause he''s a father. the only father of all time
whoever existed. the one and only son of the Almighty. carl reiner''s son. and he wasn''t even
funny on all in the family. it was all canned laughter. so bush said we all get corned beef
hash and next week, a shipment of raw lemons.
sugar we have to provide ourselves. and waxman?
he''s gonna turn us all into wax dolls and put
voodoo pins in us, and melt us all. why?
motivation for waxman''s wrath? when california
was smoggy, no one dared breathe, and there were
hardly an cars or freeways. ban the anti-smog
device. it used to resemble hell as you came
south at the calabasas grade. when coming from
the south, a huge sign used to exist, that said
danger ahead, los angeles, ca home of dragnet
where real life stories give screen writers inspiration. from the air, a giant smoky cloud
below signals the existence of hell. hell,ca is
up north. the angels? of what denizen?

[tnt1954]

by the way i forgot to tell ya, tickets are 10
million dollars each at the door. cash, visa, mastercard, financing available, no down payment
can be arranged, sliding scale perhaps, medicaid
not accepted. medicare not accepted either.
i don''t care if music is the medicine you need,
we are not taking medicaid or medicare for this
super benefit super party. but i''ll discuss
it with president bush and treasury secretary
paulson who has to fly to india tonight after
the benefit and party, but he has to go temple
first, the wilshire temple, then blast to the
concert, catch a few bars, and then he''s off
to india. maybe to move there, he''s checking
out a hebrew community for he and his People there.
there are stories about hebrew india in the catholic
bible. in esther. some bibles say it was in persia,
but no it was in india, land of parcheesi. c''mon
go even if the ''burning bush'' is there. clue: it
might be out in death valley, ca. where manson
used to hide out underground in pepperland. mysto.

[tnt1954]

it''s friday night, t.g.i.f. time for the super-benefit super-party to benefit southern california,
which has given its all on the airwaves forever.
where would you be without holywood to criticize?
staring at the walls? in true holier than thou
fashion, stones, spears, and a star-studded gala
should perform at a yet to be announced location.
i can''t go, i have to work at a spanish flamenco
joint with castenets. you guys go and have fun
without me. i''d just bring ya down. impromptu
super-benefit super-parties are the best.
spontaneity. not spontaneous combustion. they
promise just to improvise. take recording devices
if you dare.

[libsluvsuvs]

Posted by BareEmperor at 05:06 PM : Oct 26, 2007
+ report abuse


*****

I guess the liberals are already out looking for some drama..what else did ''went wrong''?