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500,000 evacuated in California wildfire crisis
More than 500,000 people have been ordered to evacuate their homes in California's San Diego County as wildfires rage across the state, officials said.
A statement from San Diego County officials said approximately 513,000 people in the district had received mandatory evacuation orders and an additional 12,000 people had been advised to leave their homes.
The statement said a total of 349,915 households had received calls asking them to evacuate.
Another person has died from burns in a fire north of Los Angeles, after the first death reported on Sunday some 241 kilometres away near San Diego.
San Diego County has emerged as the ground zero of California's wildfire crisis, with hundreds of thousands of people forced to flee from the multiple fires that have sprouted across the region.
In San Diego County alone, the fires had devastated more than 200,000 acres and "we may be approaching the 300,000 mark," San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders said.
Officials said people were cooperating and evacuating quickly, resulting in minimal loss of life.
Tens of thousands in San Diego County, including elderly evacuees from nursing homes, spent the night in the Qualcomm sports stadium or the Del Mar Fairgrounds, as did thousands of pets and horses.
Just one person has died, in a San Diego fire on Sunday, and some three dozen have been injured.
The fires, whipped by hot, dry Santa Ana winds gusting to 113 kilometres per hour have swept the drought stricken region unchecked over the past two days from Santa Barbara to the Mexican border 370km to the south.
The National Weather Service said "strong and damaging winds" will continue near Los Angeles through mid-afternoon, and high wind warnings may be issued for some areas. In San Diego, the strong winds fanning the flames were expected through today.
Bush declares emergency
Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger summoned aid from 1,500 National Guard troops, including 200 from the Mexican border, to help with firefighting, evacuations and crowd control.
Neighbouring states, including Nevada and Arizona, rushed in crews and equipment. President George W Bush early yesterday declared an emergency in the state and authorised the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief in the seven counties stricken by wildfires.
Among the thousands at the Qualcomm stadium were about 300 people evacuated from nursing homes. Volunteers set up tents for families and seniors in the walkways of the stadium.
"There's no word on our house," said Don Parmaley, who was at the stadium with his wife, Rose. "We were able to find a hotel room last night but they had to evacuate the hotel this morning."
The firestorms closed major state highways, schools and businesses and plumes of thick black smoke drifted across much of Southern California, blotting out the sun.
One official said the Witch Fire could prove as devastating as 2003's so-called Cedar Fire that burned 280,000 acres and killed 15 people.
A blaze in the seaside enclave of Malibu that had blackened 2,400 acres was partly contained, having destroyed 10 buildings including a landmark castle and a church.
- AFP/Reuters
More than 500,000 people have been ordered to evacuate their homes in California's San Diego County as wildfires rage across the state, officials said.
A statement from San Diego County officials said approximately 513,000 people in the district had received mandatory evacuation orders and an additional 12,000 people had been advised to leave their homes.
The statement said a total of 349,915 households had received calls asking them to evacuate.
Another person has died from burns in a fire north of Los Angeles, after the first death reported on Sunday some 241 kilometres away near San Diego.
San Diego County has emerged as the ground zero of California's wildfire crisis, with hundreds of thousands of people forced to flee from the multiple fires that have sprouted across the region.
In San Diego County alone, the fires had devastated more than 200,000 acres and "we may be approaching the 300,000 mark," San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders said.
Officials said people were cooperating and evacuating quickly, resulting in minimal loss of life.
Tens of thousands in San Diego County, including elderly evacuees from nursing homes, spent the night in the Qualcomm sports stadium or the Del Mar Fairgrounds, as did thousands of pets and horses.
Just one person has died, in a San Diego fire on Sunday, and some three dozen have been injured.
The fires, whipped by hot, dry Santa Ana winds gusting to 113 kilometres per hour have swept the drought stricken region unchecked over the past two days from Santa Barbara to the Mexican border 370km to the south.
The National Weather Service said "strong and damaging winds" will continue near Los Angeles through mid-afternoon, and high wind warnings may be issued for some areas. In San Diego, the strong winds fanning the flames were expected through today.
Bush declares emergency
Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger summoned aid from 1,500 National Guard troops, including 200 from the Mexican border, to help with firefighting, evacuations and crowd control.
Neighbouring states, including Nevada and Arizona, rushed in crews and equipment. President George W Bush early yesterday declared an emergency in the state and authorised the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief in the seven counties stricken by wildfires.
Among the thousands at the Qualcomm stadium were about 300 people evacuated from nursing homes. Volunteers set up tents for families and seniors in the walkways of the stadium.
"There's no word on our house," said Don Parmaley, who was at the stadium with his wife, Rose. "We were able to find a hotel room last night but they had to evacuate the hotel this morning."
The firestorms closed major state highways, schools and businesses and plumes of thick black smoke drifted across much of Southern California, blotting out the sun.
One official said the Witch Fire could prove as devastating as 2003's so-called Cedar Fire that burned 280,000 acres and killed 15 people.
A blaze in the seaside enclave of Malibu that had blackened 2,400 acres was partly contained, having destroyed 10 buildings including a landmark castle and a church.
- AFP/Reuters
