Fires Force Evacuations Across the West

LOS ANGELES, California, July 19, 2004 (ENS) - Shifting winds forced the re-evacuation of residents from the Placerita Canyon, Chaparral, Fair Oaks and Upper Sand Canyon areas just north of Los Angeles as fire crews scrambled to contain the Foothills fire.

The same areas were evacuated Saturday, but some residents were allowed to return until unpredictable winds prompted officials to get them out to safety once again.

The Placerita Nature Center also is threatened. The east-west running canyon with its oak groves, stream lined with willows and sycamores and the site of California's original 1842 gold discovery is now in the path of the 3,250 acre Foothill fire.

About 980 firefighters are battling the Foothills blaze, and across California 3,672 people are working to control four major fires.

Los Angeles County Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman expects that 2004 is going to be a tough summer for firefighters. "Current fire weather forecasts predict similar conditions that led to the historic and disastrous 2003 Fire Siege that destroyed more than 3,600 homes from Santa Barbara to the Mexican border," Freeman said.

California firefighter on the job (Photo credit unknown)

Fire officials said the 16,800 acre Pine fire, about 30 miles north of Los Angeles in Angeles National Forest, is now about 75 percent contained, but the fire is still burning in Pine Canyon off of Highway 138 on the north side of Liebre Mountain.

The fire was started by an arsonist on the afternoon of July 12, officials say, but they have no one in custody. An Arson Tip Line has been established for anyone with any information about suspicious vehicles or people in the area of the Pacific Crest Trail on July 12, 2004. Please call (661) 284-2TIP.

Eight hundred people left their homes ahead of the Pine Fire, and a rehabilitation Center voluntarily evacuated 250 people. The fire is near 50 homes in the Three Point area. Today, the mandatory evacuations have been lifted, but previously evacuated areas are open to residents only, and residents must show ID to gain access. Crews will continue to provide structure protection and reinforce containment lines.

The Pine Fire was not caused by lightning, but by an arsonist. (Photo courtesy Rezek Engineering)

Strong erratic winds, low humidity, high temperatures and record dry conditions continue to hamper containment efforts as the fire burns through steep terrain in a continuous fuel bed parts of which have not burned in 80-100 years, fire officials said.

The fire was threatening the habitat of endangered birds - the spotted owl, California condor and the willow flycatcher - but a change in the wind Satuday spared the critical habitat.

To date the Pine Fire has cost 4.5 million to fight and is still threatening watershed, agricultural and cultural resources and rare plants.

Elsewhere in California, more than 900 firefighters are struggling to contain the 3,200 acre Melton fire near Hemet. Riverside County fire officials say it is still about 75 percent out of control.

The 2,000 acre Mataguay fire is threatening Mantaguay Boy Scout Camp and the community of Ranchita. Under mandatory evacuation, 250 people from the camp and another 250 people from the community left the area for safety.

Fires do not have to be large to be frightening. Here a California nursery is threatened but survived. (Photo courtesy Matilija Nursery)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has been authorized by President George W. Bush to provide firefighting funds for three fires burning in Southern California - the Pine fire in Los Angeles County, the Mataguay fire in San Diego County and the Lake View fire in Riverside County.

Large active wildfires are burning in 10 western states.

In Nevada, the 7,500-acre Waterfall fire outside Carson City, Nevada, was 85 percent contained on Sunday. Officials evacuated some 50 homes closest to the flames in Kings Canyon.

In Montana, fire is consuming the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge. This blaze started Saturday 45 miles west of Jordan, Montana and is spreading quickly through ponderosa pine, juniper, grass and sagebrush.

Initial fire attack activity was heavy Sunday in Alaska, where 6.85 million acres are now afire on 11 separate fire sites. The largest of these, the Eagle Complex covers 601,729 acres located near the Yukon border three miles northeast of Eagle, Alaska in tundra, black spruce and mixed hardwoods.

So far this year, 3.7 million acres have been destroyed, ahead of the pace of the record 2002 wildfire season.