Excerpted from the ENN Daily Report 10/23/96 - Vol. 2, No. 297
THE BURNING OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
By Paul Anderson, ENN Metro Correspondent
MALIBU, CALIFORNIA (ENN) - In what some authorities are calling the most destructive fires in Southern California in more than a decade, an army of tired firefighters on Tuesday battled several wildfires that have destroyed more than 100 homes. More than 35,000 acres have been reported burned. The infamous Santa Ana winds continued to drive the flames.
One wildfire, that has been burning since Monday, has scorched more than 14,000 acres across the Santa Monica Mountains and has destroyed at least six homes. Firefighters were being assisted by water-dropping planes and helicopters, but most of the major blazes remained burning out of control on Tuesday.
California Governor Pete Wilson declared a state of emergency in San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles counties.
Some of the most destructive fires have been in San Diego County. A raging widlfire, there, destroyed at least 98 homes in the towns of Carlsbad and San Marcos. The blaze has consumed about 6,000 acres.
United States Marine Corps personnel from nearby Camp Pendleton were said to be assisting firefighters in their efforts.
Overnight on Tuesday, another major wildfire sprang up in the Otay Mountains located southeast of San Diego. This fire reportedly burned about 9,000 acres.
The major focal point of the massive firefighting effort on Tuesday was near the community of Malibu. A two-mile wide wall of flame was said to have swept across the Santa Monica Mountains. Los Angeles Fire Department captains Steve Valenzuela said that the fire was about 20 percent contained on Tuesday.
About 2,500 firefighters were battling the blaze with the assistance of tanker planes and helicopters. So far, five people have been injured, including one firefighter whose rig crashed into another fire rig on a winding mountain road.
Six firefighters were badly burned on Tuesday when they were caught in a flare-up in Malibu Canyon. A 52-year-old firefighter was reported to be in critical condition with burns over 70 percent of his body. Doctors in Sherman Oaks said that he may not survive his injuries. Another firefighter susptained burns on over 25 percent of his body and was reported to be in fair condition.
Here is a run-down of the major fires:
LOS ANGELES COUNTY: Calabasas-Malibu-- Five homes and one mobile home have been destroyed.
-- 14,000 acres burned.
-- 11 people injured, including six firefighters.
-- 20 percent contained. Fire started on Monday morning.
-- 2,500 firefighters are battling the blaze with two SuperScooper planes and five helicopters.
ORANGE COUNTY: Lemon Heights-- Ten homes destroyed. 19 homes damaged. Four outbuildings destroyed on damaged.
-- 1,280 acres burned.
-- Four minor injuries to firefighters reported.
-- Started on Monday morning and brought under control within 4 hours.
-- 200 firefighters battled the blaze.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY: Carlsbad-- 98 homes and several other structures destroyed.
-- 8,592 acres burned.
-- Only three minor injuries reported.
-- The blaze is said to be about 50 percent contained. Started on Monday.
-- 629 firefighters are battling the fire with 15 aircraft.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY: Rincon Indian Reservation-- Six structures destroyed.
-- 1,800 acres burned.
-- No injuries reported.
-- Started on Monday night.
-- 280 firefighters fought the blaze.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY: Otay Mountain-- No structures destroyed or damaged.
-- 9,000 acres burned.
-- No injuries reported.
-- Started on Tuesday morning.
-- 46 firefighters assisted by eight aircraft.