Post by ۞Quaalude™۞ on Oct 22, 2007 19:48:44 GMT -5
California The Police State Has Caught on Fire , is over ridden with Gangs , is falling in the sea , Full of Drugs & Very Wealthy Movie & Pop Stars , a Good Place to Visit once , Come on Vacation , Head to San Quinton . Wildfires burning out of control are continuing to threaten thousands of homes , At least one person has been killed and some 250,000 people evacuated as the fires spread, fanned by fierce winds.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in seven counties, with 40,000 acres (16,000 hectares) burnt from Santa Barbara to San Diego.
Some of the worst damage is in Malibu, where many show business stars, among them Mel Gibson and Sting, have homes.
Officials say the ground is tinder-dry after a record summer heat wave.
"It's a tragic time for California," said Mr Schwarzenegger, as he toured the charred shells of buildings in Malibu.
See map of Malibu blazes and nearby celebrity homes
With forecasters predicting that hurricane-force winds will continue until later in the week, thousands more homes could be at risk, says the BBC's David Willis in California. Los Angeles County Zev Yaroslavsky described the combination of weather conditions and multiple fires as "a perfect firestorm".
"The winds are erratic and unpredictable," he said. "There is no telling where the fires will move and when."
Several new fires were reported to have broken out in San Diego County on Monday morning.
Ambulances and school buses have been used to move hundreds of people from hospitals, nursing homes and prisons in the county threatened by advancing flames. Several schools were closed on Monday.
San Diego Fire Captain Lisa Blake told the Associated Press news agency that the area's firefighters lacked the resources to save all the homes at risk.
"We have more houses burning than we have people and engine companies to fight them," she said. "A lot of people are going to lose their homes today."
More than 1,500 firefighters have been battling the blazes, including one in the town of Potrero, near San Diego.
That fire killed one person and injured four firefighters and at least 10 other people, said Matt Streck, a spokesman for California's Department of Forestry.
It burned more than 14,000 acres (5,700 hectares) just north of the Mexican border town of Tecate, Mr Streck said.
Thousands flee All 36,000 residents of Ramona, north-east of San Diego, were ordered to leave their homes as another blaze razed more than 5,000 acres (2,000 hectares), said San Diego sheriff's office spokesman Phillip Brust.
I can't ever remember doing this," Mr Brust said. "This fire is crazy."
In seaside Malibu, several buildings were destroyed and thousands of local residents evacuated on Sunday as flames swept across the hills overlooking the ocean.
That fire is thought to have been caused by a power cable that ignited after being blown over in heavy wind.
Among the buildings destroyed in the town of 13,000 residents were the famous Castle Kashan home and a Presbyterian church.
Thousands of students at nearby Pepperdine University were also evacuated.
The coastal area is home to many celebrities, including Barbra Streisand, Richard Gere, Pierce Brosnan, thingy Van d**e, Ted Danson, Olivia Newton-John, James Cameron and David Geffen.
During a long heat wave in July, wildfires scorched thousands of acres across California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, South Dakota, Washington, New Mexico, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.
My Goodness why would millions of People want to live where the is very little clean water , Gangs , Violence , Drug wars , Corrupt Police and
Wildfires ? QC
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7055721.stm