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CNN Live At Daybreak
California Wildfires: 15 Dead
Aired October 28, 2003 - 06:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Police believe a camper's signal fire may have sparked the San Bernardino fire, and police have begun handing out a sketch of the man they say is wanted for arson and murder. Fifteen people have died as a result of fires burning across southern California, and there may be no real end in sight.
Our Keith Oppenheim joins us now with the very latest on all of this.
Keith -- good morning to you.
KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: To you as well, Heidi.
I'm coming to you from the rim of the World Highway in the San Bernardino Mountains, and the view looking down is both beautiful and worrisome. Take a look. The fire is consuming brush and the woodlands along the hillside. We're told that the fires are relatively calmer this morning, but they're still on the move. And the end of this disaster is not yet in sight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OPPENHEIM (voice-over): What authorities are calling the most expensive fire in California history is far from being under control, and there are logistical crises across the southern part of the state. In the mountains of San Bernardino County, the fear is if winds switch, fires could race up hillsides and threaten more homes.
In Simi Valley, 90,000 acres have burned, and there is worry the fire could creep south towards Los Angeles.
Throughout the region, residents are being told to leave their homes behind and not to come back until fires die.
MAYOR DICK MURPHY, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA: You are just risking your own life, as well as the police and firefighters that are trying to protect you.
OPPENHEIM: Many are quickly gathering all they can.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My friends came over this morning about 3:30, and we loaded everything up as far as valuables, good valuables. The other stuff I dont care about.
OPPENHEIM: Firefighters are trying to gain advantage. Cooler temperatures and higher humidity over the next few days may help crews break fire lines. In San Diego County, officials are scrambling to get more equipment and people to fight the flames.
CHIEF JEFF BOWMAN, SAN DIEGO FIRE DEPARTMENT: And we need to get resources in there, when we can get them there, to put those hot spots out.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
OPPENHEIM: We're back live with an incredible view of the fire along the mountainside this morning.
Speaking of resources, there are more than 8,000 firefighters who are working on this disaster, but so far no fire has been contained more than 20 percent, and, Heidi, some not at all.
Back to you.
COLLINS: It's just awful to hear those numbers.
Keith, I also want to ask you a little bit about the shifting winds. We've been hearing from our meteorologist, Chad Myers, all morning long that those winds are going to shift today off-coast. This is a good sign, but firefighters need to be very careful to be on the right side of that shift. Any talk as of yet about how they will change their tactics?
OPPENHEIM: Well, the strategy depends on the direction of the wind, and we should point out that wind is wind from whatever direction it's coming from. So, it could be complicated.
The Santa Ana winds that go from the west to the east toward the ocean, they have the benefit of keeping the fires down and preventing the fire from going up the hillside. So, as long as the Santa Anas are in effect, then the firefighters don't have to be as worried about the fire racing up the hillside.
Keep in mind, fire goes uphill much faster than it goes down. That could be the danger. But once there is a switch and you get the offshore winds, that's when the firefighters really have to watch for that uphill action.
COLLINS: Excellent point. Keith Oppenheim reporting live for us this morning. Keith, thanks so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired October 28, 2003 - 06:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Police believe a camper's signal fire may have sparked the San Bernardino fire, and police have begun handing out a sketch of the man they say is wanted for arson and murder. Fifteen people have died as a result of fires burning across southern California, and there may be no real end in sight.
Our Keith Oppenheim joins us now with the very latest on all of this.
Keith -- good morning to you.
KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: To you as well, Heidi.
I'm coming to you from the rim of the World Highway in the San Bernardino Mountains, and the view looking down is both beautiful and worrisome. Take a look. The fire is consuming brush and the woodlands along the hillside. We're told that the fires are relatively calmer this morning, but they're still on the move. And the end of this disaster is not yet in sight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OPPENHEIM (voice-over): What authorities are calling the most expensive fire in California history is far from being under control, and there are logistical crises across the southern part of the state. In the mountains of San Bernardino County, the fear is if winds switch, fires could race up hillsides and threaten more homes.
In Simi Valley, 90,000 acres have burned, and there is worry the fire could creep south towards Los Angeles.
Throughout the region, residents are being told to leave their homes behind and not to come back until fires die.
MAYOR DICK MURPHY, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA: You are just risking your own life, as well as the police and firefighters that are trying to protect you.
OPPENHEIM: Many are quickly gathering all they can.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My friends came over this morning about 3:30, and we loaded everything up as far as valuables, good valuables. The other stuff I dont care about.
OPPENHEIM: Firefighters are trying to gain advantage. Cooler temperatures and higher humidity over the next few days may help crews break fire lines. In San Diego County, officials are scrambling to get more equipment and people to fight the flames.
CHIEF JEFF BOWMAN, SAN DIEGO FIRE DEPARTMENT: And we need to get resources in there, when we can get them there, to put those hot spots out.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
OPPENHEIM: We're back live with an incredible view of the fire along the mountainside this morning.
Speaking of resources, there are more than 8,000 firefighters who are working on this disaster, but so far no fire has been contained more than 20 percent, and, Heidi, some not at all.
Back to you.
COLLINS: It's just awful to hear those numbers.
Keith, I also want to ask you a little bit about the shifting winds. We've been hearing from our meteorologist, Chad Myers, all morning long that those winds are going to shift today off-coast. This is a good sign, but firefighters need to be very careful to be on the right side of that shift. Any talk as of yet about how they will change their tactics?
OPPENHEIM: Well, the strategy depends on the direction of the wind, and we should point out that wind is wind from whatever direction it's coming from. So, it could be complicated.
The Santa Ana winds that go from the west to the east toward the ocean, they have the benefit of keeping the fires down and preventing the fire from going up the hillside. So, as long as the Santa Anas are in effect, then the firefighters don't have to be as worried about the fire racing up the hillside.
Keep in mind, fire goes uphill much faster than it goes down. That could be the danger. But once there is a switch and you get the offshore winds, that's when the firefighters really have to watch for that uphill action.
COLLINS: Excellent point. Keith Oppenheim reporting live for us this morning. Keith, thanks so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
