Schwarzenegger declares fire emergency in Los Angeles
August 29th, 2009 - 3:35 am ICT by IANS
Los Angeles, Aug 29 (DPA) California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a wildfire emergency Friday in Los Angeles County as firefighters battled two blazes that forced the evacuation of as many as 1,500 people.
The fires threatened the affluent coastal community of Rancho Palos Verdes, and residences in La Canada Flintridge, which lies in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles.
High temperatures helped the fires spread quickly but low winds overnight helped firefighters make headway in stopping the flames before they destroyed any houses.
“We were very fortunate that the head of the fire … was stopped at the backyards of those homes,” said Los Angeles County fire chief deputy John Tripp.
More than 3,700 firefighters are battling blazes across more than 14,000 acres throughout the state, as rising temperatures and the spread of population to wilderness areas increases the risk of wildfires.
- Swift Altadena Fire Rages Insatiabaly - Aug 29, 2009
- Rancho Palos Verdes Fire Spreading - Aug 28, 2009
- Massive California fire sparked by arson - Sep 04, 2009
- California wildfire doubles in size, threatens 12,000 homes - Sep 01, 2009
- California wildfire rages, only 5 percent contained - Sep 02, 2009
- WildFire Engulfs Parts Of Palmdale, Hundreds Evacuated - Jul 30, 2010
- Station Fire Still A Major Threat - Aug 31, 2009
- Wildfire rages near Los Angeles - Jul 31, 2010
- Wildfire threatens Los Angeles - Aug 30, 2009
- Texas battles new wildfires as extreme drought continues - Sep 02, 2011
- Guiberson Fire Threatening Residents Of The Region - Sep 23, 2009
- Thousands flee raging California fires - May 08, 2009
- Texas wildfires destroy more than 1500 homes - Sep 12, 2011
- Firefighters Battle With La Canada Fire near L.A. - Aug 27, 2009
- Temecula Fire Destroys 12 Structures - Sep 20, 2009
Tags: arnold schwarzenegger, backyards, blazes, california governor arnold, california governor arnold schwarzenegger, chief deputy, coastal community, county fire, deputy john, fire chief, fire emergency, governor arnold schwarzenegger, headway, high temperatures, la canada flintridge, los angeles county, mountains northeast, rancho palos verdes, san gabriel mountains, wilderness areas