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Firefighters battle blaze north of Los Angeles
Los Angeles (AFP) Oct 13, 2008 More than 1,000 firefighters were battling a wind-driven forest fire raging north of Los Angeles on Monday that has forced the evacuation of 1,200 people and closed several roads and schools. Fire officials said the out-of-control blaze in the Angeles National Forest had consumed around 3,700 acres (1,500 hectares) of brush by 10:30 am (1730 GMT) Monday, fanned by powerful gusts known locally as the Santa Ana winds. The winds swept the blaze across fire lines early Monday, forcing firefighters to revise containment estimates from 20 percent to five percent. No injuries have been reported. Three major highways and four schools in the area had been closed, officials added. Early Monday, television network CBS2 showed what appeared to be trucks and mobile homes alight, sending thick black smoke belching into the atmosphere. Firefighters said the shifting winds were a cause for concern as the flames bore down on the northern Los Angeles suburb of Porter Ranch. "The concern is any embers that might be underneath or under the dirt that are turned over by the wind that can carry an ember over a mile away," Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Sam Padilla told ABC7. The National Weather Service has warned that wind gusts of between 50-70 mph were expected in mountains and canyons. California is frequently hit by scorching wildfires due to its dry climate, Santa Ana winds and recent housing booms which have seen housing spread rapidly into rural and densely forested areas. The latest fire comes roughly one year after devastating wildfires that were among the worst in California history left eight people dead, destroyed 2,000 homes, displaced 640,000 people and caused one billion dollars in damage. In June and July this year, a series of about 2,000 fires raged across the state, scorching some 900,000 acres (3,500 square kilometers) of land, according to officials. Related Links Forest and Wild Fires - News, Science and Technology
Preventing Forest Fires With Tree Power
Boston MA (SPX) Sep 24, 2008MIT researchers and colleagues are working to find out whether energy from trees can power a network of sensors to prevent spreading forest fires. |
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