大火! 南加州Anaheim Hills百萬豪宅危在旦夕!

CNN:Hundreds flee fast-moving fire in California

A fast-moving brush fire scorched more than 2,000 acres of parched hillside and charred at least three homes Sunday, forcing authorities to evacuate more than 500 homes, Orange County fire officials said.

The 3-square-mile fire threatened many other houses and the firefighters working to protect them, Anaheim city spokesman John J. Nicoletti said.

"This is a very dangerous firefight," said Orange County Fire Authority Chief Ed Fleming.

"The terrain is quite rugged, with homes on top of ridges, and the fire picks up speed as it head up the hill," Fleming said.


Two firefighters suffered minor injuries, authorities said.

The fire, stoked by hot dry winds and fueled by chaparral, spread south and west quickly in an unincorporated part of Orange County and threatened multimillion dollar homes here and in Anaheim Hills, about 35 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

Authorities said the blaze may have been started by a vehicle fire, and were investigating if the car was stolen and set on fire to destroy evidence.

Richard Steffy said he saw the fire out his window when he awoke Sunday morning.

"Boom, billows of smoke," he said. "It looked so close."

Capt. Steve Miller of the Orange County Fire Authority said afternoon winds blowing up to 35 mph made firefighting difficult for the more than 800 firefighters on the scene. Temperatures were in the 90s and humidity was at 5 percent.

But slowing winds later in the day allowed firefighters to get 10 percent of the blaze contained Sunday evening, authorities said.

Firefighters were aided by helicopters and planes dropping water and retardant on the flames, and police went door to door to warn residents to evacuate.

"We are holding our own, but the fire is going to continue to make progress as long as fuel is in its way. It's not a good situation for us," Miller said.

The area, like much of Southern California, is under a red flag alert, indicating a high fire danger. A prolonged drought has left the chaparral-covered hills highly combustible.

Fleeing fires has become a part of life for many residents.

Susan Snell, who has lived in Anaheim Hills for 23 years, followed a well-worn routine Sunday: She put her cat in a carrier, packed tax and insurance papers and photographs and found a good vantage point.

"It's freaky what you end up taking with you," she said as she watched television at the Anaheim Hills Community Center for updates.

[ 本帖最後由 goodoctor 於 2007-3-11 19:54 編輯 ]

謝謝現場直拍。看來已經控制了。

ouch, some people's real estate insurance will sure go up...

倒霉啊! 今天下午和上次幾乎相同的地方又著火了。







Fire burns near 261 and 241 toll roads

Firefighters are beating back the flames. Jamboree Road and 261 are still closed.
By KIMBERLY EDDS
The Orange County Register

A quick-moving brush fire chewed through nearly 50 acres of dry brush and forced the closure of two major commuter roads during the height of Friday afternoon rush hour in an unincorporated area near Irvine and Orange.

Flames ripped through brush where the northbound Eastern Transportation (261) and (241) toll roads come together after a fire broke out there about 5 p.m.

The 261 has been closed between Portola Parkway and Santiago Canyon, California Highway Patrol officials said. Jamboree Road in Tustin has been shut down between Pioneer and Canyonview. Those closures were expected to be in place until at least midnight.

Thick plumes of smoke poured into the sky as dozens of firefighters, along with bulldozers beat back the flames. The county's Emergency Operations Center, manned by the Orange County Sheriff's Department, was briefly threatened, fire officials said.

Three county strike teams were stationed outside the dispatch center. Thick smoke covered the road leading up to dispatch center, marooning about 50 Sheriff's Department personnel inside who are responsible for dispatching 911 calls made to the Sheriff's Department. Vehicles were moved away from the building to prevent flames from causing them to explode and throwing debris in to the building, Sheriff's Lt. Larry Abbott said from inside the dispatch center.

By 7 p.m., the fire started to calm down as firefighters knocked down the blaze and smoke started to dissipate, said Orange County Battalion Chief Ed Fleming said. No homes have been evacuated, and no injuries have been reported.

Early air support from three helicopters and two air tankers helped firefighters knock down the blaze before it marched up to homes. A total of 28 fire engines, two bulldozers and two fire trucks along with medics rushed to snuff out the blaze as temperatures soared into the 90s. Hand crews marched through the tinder-box dry terrain, carving out gashes in the earth to stop the fire's forward progress."

"It's very dry, and it's very hot," said Chief Ed Fleming of Orange County Fire Authority.

Winds between 5 and 10 mph are pushing the blaze through the dry brush. A Sheriff's Department helicopter and several OCFA helicopters are dousing the blaze from above.