More than half a million flee California wildfires

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LOS ANGELES, Oct 24 (AFP): More than half a million people were ordered to evacuate their homes in southern California as wind-driven wildfires raged for a fourth day Wednesday, razing communities and threatening to overwhelm exhausted firefighters.
At least one person was killed and 45 injured, including 21 firefighters, in at least 16 separate fires that have erupted since Sunday. Powerful seasonal winds spread smoldering embers across the region, igniting new fires.
Blazes have so far destroyed nearly 1,300 buildings and scorched at least 166,000 hectares (412,000 acres) of tinder-dry forest and brush, officials said.
"Our ability to fight these fires outstrips our resources," said firefighter Robin Wills, who battled a blaze in northern San Diego County. "There are only so many engines, so many firefighters to put out there."
The evacuations affected people in areas from the Mexican border to north of Los Angeles.
"These fires are causing terrible and tragic devastation in our state but we are responding and we will not stop until everyone is safe," California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said Tuesday after touring the destruction at the mountain resort town of Lake Arrowhead, 150 kilometres (100 miles) east of Los Angeles.
"We have had an unfortunate situation that we've had three things come together: very dry areas, very hot weather and then a lot of wind," Schwarzenegger said. "And so this makes the perfect storm for a fire."
Much of California has experienced record low rainfalls and record high temperatures this year.
Weather forecasters say they expect the wind to slightly diminish Wednesday but to remain dangerous. High temperatures and low humidity are expected to remain until Thursday, they said.