What made the news on the California wildfires of 2009 especially tragic?
Hundreds of thousands of people in California have fled their homes as fierce brush fires burn out of control and were predicted to worsen today. The California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, declared a state of emergency and said it was a “tragic time” for the state. At least 300,000 people had been told to leave San Diego county, where hundreds of homes have been destroyed. The state of emergency opens the way for federal government assistance. The US president, George Bush, today authorised the Federal Emergency Management Agency – the body heavily criticised for its response to Hurricane Katrina – to coordinate disaster relief in the seven worst affected counties. One firefighter described the scene as looking like a “nuclear winter”. Conditions were expected to get worse, with temperatures of up to 38C expected in parts of southern California and desert winds of up to 70mph fanning the flames across the tinder-dry region. At least 1,000 homes have so far been destroyed and thous
California wildfires 2009 and Station fire update. Wild fire in the vicinity of Los Angeles in California is increasing. Reports that the fires were slowing downs are reportedly not true. In some areas the fire have slowed down, but in other areas fires have intensified during the last two days. The death of tow firefighting officials who were on duty in affected areas has only highlighted the fact that fires are intensifying. Three other people have also been severely injured in the raging fires. In the meantime officials have lifted mandatory evacuation orders from Vista Del Valle Rd and LA Canada Blvd. in other areas mandatory evacuation orders are being strictly followed. The increased radius of fire along with the soaring temperature is adding to people’s anxiety. Initially only five hundred houses were given evacuation notice, but now thousands and thousands of homes seem to be under threat. If reports are to be believed some 12,000 homes are currently threatened by the fire, whi
