Calif. Firefighters Brace For Strong Winds
Expected Gusts Threaten To Blow Embers Across Fire Lines, Toward Thousands More Homes
-
-
Fire Capt. Rod Pinnelli, of the Lathrop-Manteca Fire and Rescue, turns away from the heat of flames approaching a fire line of the Butte Lightening Complex fire near Concow, Calif., July 10, 2008. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
-
Firefighters from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection watch flames from the Butte Lighting Complex fire approach a fire break near Concow, Calif., July 9, 2008. Authorities ordered residents of 3,800 homes in Butte County to evacuate after the wind-stoked fire destroyed 40 homes and 10 structures Tuesday in the nearby rural community of Concow. (AP PHOTO)
-
Members of the California National Guard take a break from hot temperatures and fire training July 9, 2008, in Albion, Calif. For the first time in 30 years, the California National Guard is being deployed to fight wildfires. (AP PHOTO)
-
Firefighter Geoff Belyea, of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, starts a back fire to help contain the Butte Lighting Complex fire near Concow, Calif., July 9, 2008. (AP PHOTO)
-
The charred remains of a child's bicycle is seen at a home destroyed by the Butte Lightning Complex fire near Concow, Calif., July 9, 2008. (AP PHOTO)
-
-
Play CBS Video Video Calif. Towns Evacuated As firefighters try hard to push back the flames, entire towns remain evacuated in the wake of this season's devastating wildfires. Dave Price reports.
-
Video Calif. Wildfires Still Burning Firefighters in California are struggling to put out massive wildfires in the face of continued heat and high winds in California. "Early Show" weather anchor Dave Price examines these fierce blazes.
-
Video Calif. Fires Show No Relief Little relief is in sight for firefighters battling blazes throughout the Golden State. Teri Okita reports on California's long, dry fire season.
-
Photo Essay California Fires Persist Crews across state strain to cover hundreds of blazes. More than 1,000 square miles burned.
-
Interactive Wildfires Photo essays, the worst U.S. fires, facts on fire science and health issues.
The northeast winds forecast for Friday morning would be similar to winds that caused the Butte County blaze to flare up earlier this week and destroy about 50 homes. The fire burning just outside the town of Paradise has forced some 10,000 residents to flee.
"We're hoping to get things under control to be ready for that wind change," said Tobie Edmonds, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Firefighters on Thursday positioned themselves on the eastern edge of the town of Paradise, above the Feather River canyon. They and a few stubborn homeowners were preparing to protect the Sierra foothills town where a separate wildfire forced thousands of evacuations and destroyed 74 homes last month.
"They're monitoring that fire and trying to keep it on the east side so it doesn't cross over to the west bank" and reach the town, Edmonds said.
Lloyd Knifong, 47, and his son Kyle, 20, were preparing to spend a sleepless night defending their home and several others lined on two sides by 70-foot pine trees. A fire engine was parked in the cul de sac, and the pair have jerry-rigged sprinklers to the roofs of several homes in case flames approach. Others had fled the neighborhood near Feather River Hospital, which also has been evacuated.
"I've been hanging out. I'll tell you why: I've got 25,000 gallons of water in my pool, I've got a two-inch fire hose, I've got a pump. It's just a battle. We're working with what we have," Lloyd Knifong said. "When we see it coming, I'm going to empty my pool and get everything nice and wet. Then we'll leave."
The blaze is one of about 40 lightning-sparked wildfires that over the past two weeks have charred more than 76 square miles in Butte County. By Thursday, there were about 15 active fires.
In Concow, about 90 miles north of Sacramento, firefighters cleared and intentionally burned brush to keep the flames away from houses. Bone-dry trees ignited with loud pops like strings of firecrackers as 30-foot flames lit up a ridge around one rural home protected by an engine crew. Hundreds of beetles, grasshoppers, lizards and eight-inch rats fled ahead of the blaze.
I've got 25,000 gallons of water in my pool, I've got a two-inch fire hose, I've got a pump... We're working with what we have.
Lloyd Knifong, Paradise homeownerEvacuations orders remained in place, but some Concow residents were allowed to check on their homes Thursday.
"I think my place is gone," said Rachael Davidson, 37. "When we left, there were flames all around."
Wildfires across California have burned more than 1,100 square miles and has destroyed about 100 homes since a lightning storm ignited most of them almost three weeks ago. Some 1,460 fires had been contained by Thursday, but more than 320 still were active, authorities said.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger sent a letter to President Bush asking for more equipment and personnel to help build fire lines and train California National Guard troops deployed to assist firefighting efforts, his office said.
"California is in the midst of battling unprecedented wildfires that have stretched our state's firefighting resources to their limit and placed thousands of Californians in immediate danger," Schwarzenegger said in the letter.
Officials at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said they were reviewing the request.
Other fires burning around the state included:
Authorities late Wednesday issued new mandatory evacuation orders for about 50 homes along a rugged road leading to the historic Tassajara Zen Mountain Center.
- A 15-square mile fire in the Santa Ynez Mountains above the Santa Barbara County coast. It was 75 percent contained Thursday.
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
More From U.S.
- The fires have been burning out of control for weeks, the National Guard might have assisted the Forest Service by now...
Oh, that''s right, they are babysitting the OIL in Iraq right now - FAR more important duty... - Reply to this comment
Mike Huckabee on GOP "rock stars," 2012, health care reform and more.
