2008 Woodie Awards
Entire town of Big Sur, Calif., evacuated for fire
AMANDA FEHD Associated Press Writer
Issue date: 7/3/08 Section: NATIONAL
"This is a very dangerous fire right now because of the wind and because of how dry things are and how early in the year it is," Paulison said in an interview. "If people evacuate like they're told to, we shouldn't lose any lives. ... My only concern is that people don't take it seriously enough."
Drought, heat and lightning storms have contributed to more than 1,100 separate fires that have blackened 680 square miles of land statewide in the past two weeks. The blazes have destroyed 60 homes and other buildings while threatening thousands more, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Federal fire managers predict an increase in severe wildfire activity in northern California through October due to the unusually hot, dry weather and scant rain.
In Southern California, a fire in the southern extension of the Los Padres forest north of Santa Barbara prompted mandatory evacuations of about 45 people in the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains. Officials said that fire had burned nearly 200 acres of heavy brush Wednesday and about 200 homes were threatened.
Rough terrain in the Santa Ynez area hampered firefighters, said Santa Barbara County spokesman William Boyer. "It's mostly an aerial battle," he said.
Elsewhere, a wildfire threatened 15 homes and the Okanogan tribal bingo casino near Okanogan, Wash., and some residents had been evacuated, said Ron Bowen of the state fire marshal's office. The blaze had covered 1,500 acres - just over 2 square miles - and the state sent people and equipment to help Bureau of Indian Affairs firefighters, officials said.
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Associated Press writers Marcus Wohlsen and Scott Lindlaw in San Francisco contributed to this report.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
Drought, heat and lightning storms have contributed to more than 1,100 separate fires that have blackened 680 square miles of land statewide in the past two weeks. The blazes have destroyed 60 homes and other buildings while threatening thousands more, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Federal fire managers predict an increase in severe wildfire activity in northern California through October due to the unusually hot, dry weather and scant rain.
In Southern California, a fire in the southern extension of the Los Padres forest north of Santa Barbara prompted mandatory evacuations of about 45 people in the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains. Officials said that fire had burned nearly 200 acres of heavy brush Wednesday and about 200 homes were threatened.
Rough terrain in the Santa Ynez area hampered firefighters, said Santa Barbara County spokesman William Boyer. "It's mostly an aerial battle," he said.
Elsewhere, a wildfire threatened 15 homes and the Okanogan tribal bingo casino near Okanogan, Wash., and some residents had been evacuated, said Ron Bowen of the state fire marshal's office. The blaze had covered 1,500 acres - just over 2 square miles - and the state sent people and equipment to help Bureau of Indian Affairs firefighters, officials said.
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Associated Press writers Marcus Wohlsen and Scott Lindlaw in San Francisco contributed to this report.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
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