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2 New California Fires Burn Homes, Send Residents Fleeing

Associated Press

   SIMI VALLEY, CALIF. - Strong winds fanned new fires in Southern
   California on Thursday, burning homes and forcing residents to flee in
   a repeat of a frightening scenario already faced by tens of thousands
   across the state.

   The latest blazes erupted in the heavily populated inland region east
   of Los Angeles as strong, seasonal Santa Ana winds continued to blow
   with gusts of up to 60 mph (96 kph) predicted to last until the evening
   before they fade away.

   A fast-moving fire spread into the northern neighborhoods of the city
   of San Bernardino, forcing the evacuation of 490 homes _ approximately
   1,300 people, the San Bernardino County Fire Department said. Aerial
   video from a news helicopter showed at least four home burning as the
   fire grew to 200 acres (80 hectares).

   In neighboring Riverside County, evacuation orders were issued for
   homes around a 75-acre (30-hectare) fire in the city of Jurupa Valley.
   Three residences and two outbuildings were confirmed destroyed, the
   county's fire department said.

   That fire came after another fire Wednesday in Jurupa Valley forced the
   evacuation of two mobile home parks and a psychiatric nursing care
   facility, where elderly people wearing face masks and wrapped in
   blankets were taken out in wheelchairs and gurneys as smoke swirled
   overhead. The blaze grew to 200 acres (80 hectares) in size before its
   spread was stopped.

   "There was one moment when I could see nothing but dark smoke and I was
   like, `We're going to die,"' said Qiana McCracken, assistant director
   of nursing for the Riverside Heights Healthcare Center.

   The Santa Anas winds that help create California's most destructive
   wildfires prompted a brushfire to quickly explode in size after it
   broke out before dawn Wednesday near the Ronald Reagan Presidential
   Library between the cities of Simi Valley and Moorpark northwest of Los
   Angeles.

   Officials ordered about 30,000 people to evacuate, although some were
   being allowed back home Wednesday night as fire crews began to get a
   handle on the blaze.

   Crews remained at the scene through the night to make sure embers would
   not rekindle more fires after an army of firefighters helped protect
   the hilltop Reagan museum, which sat like an island in a soot-black
   sea. There was no damage, library spokeswoman Melissa Giller said.

   Nearby residents had little time to heed evacuation orders as the
   flames approached.

   Elena Mishkanian was able to gather only some basics. Her son, Troy,
   13, netted six pet fish from a tank and put them in pots.

   "Fish have feelings!" he said when his sister Megan teased him about
   it.

   Frightened horses screamed in a nearby barn as Beth Rivera used a
   garden hose to water down the edges of her home to keep embers from
   igniting dry grass and trees. Friends helped evacuate 11 horses.

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