The fires
in California wildfires were a series of wildfires
that began burning across Southern California
on October 20
. At least 1,500 homes were destroyed and over 500,000 acres (2,000 km²) of land burned from Santa Barbra County to the U.S. - Mexico border. Nine people died as a direct result of the fire; 85 others were injured, including at least 61 firefighters.
According to news reports:
Of all the fires, the two biggest were located in San Diego County. The largest, the Witch (Creek) Fire, burned areas north and northeast of San Diego. The second largest, the Harris Fire, burned northwest from the U.S–Mexico border towards San Diego. Officials feared the fires could become even more destructive than the 2003 Cedar Fire that burned 280,278 acres (1,134.2 km²), 2,820 buildings (including 2,232 homes) and killed 15 people (including one firefighter) before being contained on November 3, 2003. Though individually the fires did not surpass the Cedar Fire, combined they did.
Residents were subjected to a mix of mandatory and voluntary evacuations, depending on the projected path of a fire. Hundreds of thousands of residents were notified of evacuations via a computerized Reverse 911 phone call system. While this alert system was mostly effective, many residents in Rancho Bernardo received the calls after they had been driven from their homes. Law enforcement officers also notified residents by driving through evacuation areas. On October 24, 2007, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Kolender stated that the number of people evacuated in San Diego County had exceeded the number evacuated from New Orleans, Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina
Two days into the fires, approximately 500,000 people from at least 346,000 homes were under mandatory orders to evacuate, the largest evacuation in the region's history. Evacuation sites included Qualcomm Stadium, as well as many schools, civic centers, and churches throughout the area. The American Red Cross managed the evacuation centers.
Officials estimated that 12,000 gathered at Qualcomm. Volunteers provided food, blankets, water, children's toys, massages, and a live rock band performance for those at the stadium. Nearly all public schools and universities in the San Diego area were closed. Many businesses closed as well. To ensure clear roads for emergency vehicles, San Diego mayor Jerry Sanders asked residents to stay home and inside.
By October 23, some evacuations were lifted, allowing about 50,000 residents from the cities of Del Mar, Chula Vista, and Poway, and the San Diego neighborhoods of Del Mar Heights and Scripps Ranch to return home. However, the fires continued and damage was severe. The four major fires across San Diego County burned nearly 300,000 acres (1,200 km²) and destroyed or damaged 1,350 homes and 100 businesses since October 21, 2007.
Many major roads were closed as a result of fires and smoke. On October 22, the California Highway Patroll closed Interstate 15 in both directions between State Routes 78 and 56. On October 24, 2007 the Horno Fire forced the closure of Interstate 5 as well as the Amtrak Surfliner service between Oceanside and San Clemente. Traffic from Interstate 5 was diverted to Interstate 15, which had reopened.
Officials from the San Diego Wild Animal Park said that its more than 3,500 animals were safe staying in their enclosures where they were protected by the park's fire break and irrigated areas. If the weather conditions worsened, the animals could retreat to their watering holes. However, many critically endangered animals such as the California condor were moved to the park's veterinary hospital, which is fire-resistant and fully equipped with sprinklers. Park spokesperson Yadira Galindo said that the animals were "alert but not showing any concerned behavior."
Santa Clarita, CA the night of October 21, 2007
Fires burn across a hillside in Orange County.
