US: Deadly US wildfire's western end under control
By Christopher WeberSun Sep 6 04:39:42 EST 2009
Sat Sep 5 18:39:42 UTC 2009
LOS ANGELES, Sept 5 AP - The entire western edge of the massive wildfire burning north of Los Angeles is under control, but the arson-caused blaze continues to move unchecked into wilderness to the east, officials say.
Investigators, meanwhile, are working to find the arsonist responsible for the huge wildfire that has killed two firefighters and burned nearly 630 square kilometres of the Angeles National Forest. It was 49 per cent contained by Saturday. At least 76 homes and dozens of other structures have been destroyed.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has offered a $US100,000 ($A119,120) reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the culprit.
The risk to homes is significantly reduced as firefighters hold the fire line to the north, south and west, US Forest Service spokeswoman Michelle Caldwell said on Saturday. Aerial water drops were expected to resume on Saturday to slow the fire's eastern movement into the rural San Gabriel Wilderness.
Overnight, firefighters built 10km of new lines on the northwestern flank of the blaze near Santa Clarita, according to Forest Service spokeswoman Barbara Rebisky.
A historic observatory and TV, radio and other antennas on Mount Wilson, which at one point were dangerously close to the flames, appear safe, she said.
"They say Mount Wilson is prepped better than it's been in about the last 100 years," Rebisky said. "That's looking real good."
Crews with local utilities were preparing to move into the fire zone to repair or replace more than 1,000 damaged or downed power lines, Rebisky said.
The weekend weather forecast called for cooler temperatures and slightly higher humidity that could help firefighters further surround the blaze, which has cost fire agencies $US37 million ($A44.07 million) to fight.
At least a dozen investigators were working to analyse clues found at a charred hillside, including incendiary material reported to have been found there. Officials said the fire was arson but were still investigating who started it and how.
"We are in the early stages, just beginning to put things together," said Los Angeles County sheriff's Lieutenant Liam Gallagher, who is heading the homicide investigation. "Firefighters losing their lives in the line of duty is an added incentive, but we work every case to the fullest."
Near a large shade tree where crews get their twice daily briefings, firefighters set up a makeshift memorial for Captain Tedmund Hall and Specialist Arnaldo Quinones. The fallen firefighters helped save about 60 members of a fire crew last Sunday as flames approached their camp when they set a backfire that allowed the group to get to safety. The pair died when their truck plunged 250 metres down a steep mountain road as they sought an escape route.
Most wildfires are caused by human activity, and government statistics show that people were at fault for 5,208 wildfires in Southern California in 2008, the highest number since at least 2001. Between 2006 and 2008, Southern California was the only region of the country to see a significant jump in the number of wildfires blamed on people.
Still, very few of the forest fires lead to criminal or civil cases. The US Forest Service recorded nearly 400 arson wildfires since 2005, records show.
