Two huge wildfires, fuelled by Santa Ana winds blowing at almost 100kph, have forced frantic evacuations in the US state of California [Reuter]
Published On 14 Oct 200814 Oct 2008
Thousands of people have fled their homes, taking with them whatever they could carry in pillow cases, sacks and suitcases [AFP]
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Some residents used garden hoses in a desperate attempt to protect their properties as the fires approached [AFP]
Dozens of houses and mobile homes have been destroyed by the flames [Reuters]
More than 1,000 firefighters, supported by helicopters and airborne water tankers, struggled to contain the blazes because of the high winds [Reuters]
Frank Garrido, the Los Angeles County fire inspector, said that a fire at the northeast end of the San Fernando Valley was a "blowtorch we can't get in front of" [Reuters]
Arnold Schwarzenegger, the governor of California, has declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, while authorities warned that air quality may be unhealthy due to the smoke [AFP]
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California is frequently hit by scorching wildfires due to its dry climate, the Santa Ana winds and recent construction booms which have rapidly spread housing into rural and densely forested areas [EPA]
