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Hope the prognosis on the winds easing are accurate….
The devastating wildfires in Southern California have caused at least $1 billion in damage in San Diego County alone, officials said Wednesday, while firefighters hoped easing wind would give them an advantage in stopping the flames.
The fires, now in their fourth day, have destroyed 1,500 homes and caused at least a half-million people to flee — the largest evacuation in state history. At least 1,200 of the damaged homes were in San Diego County.
"Clearly, this is going to be a $1 billion or more disaster," Ron Lane, San Diego County's director of emergency services, told reporters during a news conference.
The announcement of San Diego's staggering losses came as President Bush signed a major disaster declaration for California in the wake of wildfires that have burned about 410,000 acres, or 640 square miles.......
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Exhausted firefighters hoped fighting the 16 fires would become easier with an expected slackening of the fierce Santa Ana wind that has stoked the explosive blazes. Forecasters said the wind will begin to weaken late Wednesday afternoon, followed by cooling sea breezes.
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Grijalva said the fires, spread by winds that at times topped 100 mph, would have overwhelmed most efforts to fight them.
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So far, the fires have inflicted the worst damage in San Diego County, where five blazes continued to burn. The largest fire had consumed 196,420 acres — about 300 square miles — from Witch Creek to Rancho Santa Fe, destroying 650 homes, businesses and other buildings. Other hard-hit areas included San Bernardino County, where hundreds of homes burned in the mountain resort communities near Lake Arrowhead.
The fires, now in their fourth day, have destroyed 1,500 homes and caused at least a half-million people to flee — the largest evacuation in state history. At least 1,200 of the damaged homes were in San Diego County.
"Clearly, this is going to be a $1 billion or more disaster," Ron Lane, San Diego County's director of emergency services, told reporters during a news conference.
The announcement of San Diego's staggering losses came as President Bush signed a major disaster declaration for California in the wake of wildfires that have burned about 410,000 acres, or 640 square miles.......
......
Exhausted firefighters hoped fighting the 16 fires would become easier with an expected slackening of the fierce Santa Ana wind that has stoked the explosive blazes. Forecasters said the wind will begin to weaken late Wednesday afternoon, followed by cooling sea breezes.
........
Grijalva said the fires, spread by winds that at times topped 100 mph, would have overwhelmed most efforts to fight them.
............
So far, the fires have inflicted the worst damage in San Diego County, where five blazes continued to burn. The largest fire had consumed 196,420 acres — about 300 square miles — from Witch Creek to Rancho Santa Fe, destroying 650 homes, businesses and other buildings. Other hard-hit areas included San Bernardino County, where hundreds of homes burned in the mountain resort communities near Lake Arrowhead.
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