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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Southern California Wildfires Continue to Expand

Aired October 29, 2003 - 17:00   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.


WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: It's happening right now. This residential neighborhood in southern California could be up in flames soon. You're looking at lives pictures of the destruction, as southern California wildfires continue to expand.
Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): California burning. The wind shifts, but the danger increases.

Battling back, but how long can they hold out?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now it is bordering on chaos. But we are just trying to stay ahead of it. Right now the fire is telling us what to do.

BLITZER: Under attack. A grim milestone for U.S. troops in Iraq.

Who killed Laci Peterson? Prosecutors finally take their case to court.

Blades and box cutters. You won't believe where they're turning up again.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Wednesday, October 29, 2003.

BLITZER: Some improvement in the weather, but the situation on the ground in southern California is as desperate as ever this afternoon. Fire continues to threaten entire communities with flames roaring down from the hillsides and right into backyards, as panicked homeowners look on helplessly. Thousands of others are not so fortunate, returning to find they have nothing left but the clothes they fled in. This scene being repeated over and over today as many evacuees return for the first time.

And now, the California governor's office is estimating damage from the fire so far -- get this -- so far at about $2 billion, putting them in the ranks of the worst disasters ever to hit the state of California. Let's go right to the front lines, the latest, perhaps the most dramatic firefight under way right now in the mountains just east of San Diego, where crews are vowing to save an historic town.

CNN's Jeff Flock is right there -- Jeff.

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CHICAGO BUREAU CHIEF: Indeed, Wolf. They have been fighting all day. And in addition to fighting against the fire, they're fighting Mother Nature, who perhaps you can tell has been blowing tremendous winds today, has made it very difficult. Almost too difficult to get the aerial campaign going against this fire.

I want to show you the latest pictures. This is a big success story right now. This was the scene of a massive aerial bombardment of fire retardant, as well as water today, as well as hand crews going in there trying to hold this ridge. Already, in excess of 200 homes lost as the firefighters today tried to save what they could in the historic town of Julian.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FLOCK (voice-over): The cedar fire, now the largest in recorded California history, marches on. It's latest casualty, the quaint mountain town of Julian. Officials say hundreds of homes south and east of the town have already been lost. Now, the battle is on to save Julian proper, home to 3,500 people.

BILL KOLENDER, SAN DIEGO COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT.: They're trying to control some of the burning on the grounds. I think the thing they're concerned with right now is it jumping this road here and coming up here. We know it is working around that end of the road. They're keeping it on the other side of the road, but they are concerned about it coming over now.

FLOCK: Officials now have renewed fears that the nearly quarter- of-a-million-acre cedar fire could merge with the 40,000-acre paradise fire, now burning only a few miles away. Amazingly, in the midst of disaster, there are reports of looting.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have more than 300 deputies assigned to the fire zones. We are providing security for the evacuated neighborhoods. We have had reports of looting in the Harbison Canyon and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) areas of the unincorporated portion of El Cajon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FLOCK: And Wolf, I leave you with the picture of one success story. Take a look through the smoky haze at that one house nestled in the forest. A beautiful place to have a house, perhaps, as long as a wildfire is not threatening at your back door. They've saved this one so far.

So at least one piece of good news here in San Diego County. Wolf, back to you.

BLITZER: CNN's Jeff Flock with that report. Thanks, Jeff, very much. Be careful over there.

Let's go to CNN's Brian Cabell now. He is on the front line in Stevenson Ranch. That's northwest of downtown Los Angeles, where crews are battling the Simi Valley fire -- Brain.

BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, we've had a busy afternoon here in Stevenson Ranch. We were just about a mile away from here as the crow flies about an hour ago, when the flames seemed to be calming down. All of a sudden, we saw helicopters coming in with buckets. There was a problem on the other side of the hill of this particular neighborhood where we are now.

Let me show you some video that was shot just about an hour ago when this neighborhood was under siege. This was aerials I believe shot, as I say, about an hour ago. A dozen trucks came in. Residents fled this neighborhood as flames were licking at the backyards of these homes.

These are some fairly expensive homes, a half million dollars and more. Firefighters were out here, literally, in every backyard on some blocks knocking down this fire. Fortunately, as far as we can see and from what we've heard, no major damage to any of these stucco homes here. This just another battle in this war on the fires of southern California.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CABELL (voice-over): Crews battled the Simi Valley fire in the northwest corner of Los Angeles County, and they are making some progress. About one quarter of the 100,000-acre blaze is now contained, and the houses themselves may have helped mitigate the disaster.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They've been built in the last two to three years, so they have fire-retardant roofs. There's no wood that shows under the eves. It is all stuccoed up. So they were confident last night that they could save our homes, and they did.

CABELL: Another hopeful note, the fierce Santa Ana winds that blew these blazes out of control are gone.

DALLAS JONES, CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR'S OFFICE FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES: The offshore breezes have diminished and we've had onshore breezes. The good news with that is it brings a lowering of the humidity and a lowering of the temperatures. And of course that helps our firefighters.

CABELL: Also in the line of fire, the mountain resort communities of Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear, about 80 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. The area is filled with millions of trees killed by an insect plague. Dead wood, that's perfect fuel for a fire.

Some 80,000 people have been evacuated. Those who stayed behind are seeing the devastation firsthand. This man lost his lumber business.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is probably six, seven years of hard work down the drain.

CABELL (on camera): And how tough is it to look out over this stuff?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it's only wood. There's a lot more, hopefully. I'm beat. I've been up for two days.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CABELL: Here in Stevenson Ranch, the trucks are still out, the firemen on the ready. But right now, the immediate danger seems to have passed.

We were just saying a little while ago, Wolf, that it was cooler today, the winds had died down somewhat. It was higher humidity. The weather looked more favorable.

But we can feel the winds picking up once again. And again, we are at the mercy of the winds. When the winds pick up, the fires just over the mountain here, they pick up, and they certainly put these houses in danger -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Brian Cabell, just be careful over there, you and all our colleagues. Thanks very much, Brian Cabell.

We have some live pictures I want to show our viewers right now from this area, Lake Arrowhead, that's in California. Take a look at this.

These are live pictures courtesy of our affiliate KCAL-KCBS. This is a house. It was once a beautiful house. Look at it now. It is about to become ash.

Ashes unfolding right now. Live pictures of what's happening. Only one tiny, tiny piece of a bigger picture.

This is a heart-breaking scene. It is unfolding over and over and over again in San Diego County, L.A. County, here in San Bernadino County, elsewhere in southern California. Unbelievable what's going on now. These live pictures thanks to our affiliate coverage.

You've seen the devastation. Let's show you some of the numbers. The California Department of Forestry says more than 621,000 acres have burned. That's almost the size of Rhode Island.

At last count, about 2,000 homes have been destroyed. We just saw one that was destroyed. At least 17 people have been killed. More than 13,000 firefighters from California, from elsewhere around the country, and support crew. They're now manning, they're dealing with the fire lines.

California's governor-elect, Arnold Schwarzenegger, was in Washington D.C. on a previously scheduled trip today. In addition to meeting with his uncle-in-law, the Democratic senator, Ted Kennedy, he also met with the Federal Emergency Management officials seeking help for the state he'll soon lead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GOVERNOR-ELECT ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA: Anyone and everyone I've talked to today has guaranteed me they will do everything they can to help us in California, which is the great thing. I mean, I'm -- even though it's very sad of what's going on in California, but, at the same time, there's a happy moment also when you come here and you ask for help and people open up their arms and say, "We're there with you. We're going to help California."

So that has been the message in all my meetings this morning.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: For those of us not effected by the fires in southern California, the death, the devastation, the sheer horror of it all is virtually impossible to imagine. Here now is what some have suffered and others continue to endure.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's been horrendous. I sat in my favorite window seat and I watched the flames get closer and closer and closer to my dream home.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And when I went out into the driveway, you looked up and the whole sky was completely orange. So we left. I grabbed the two kids, the cat, and just jumped into the car.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is just pretty scary. I had no clue what to take. My mom said to pack up. It was just really hard to think of what I'd need to bring with me that would save and savor all those moments and memories that I have.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got most of my music collection. I got my school stuff, my homework, and all that. All my money.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, the destruction, I mean, I had thought it might just be ankle high. But I don't know. Maybe this is even worse. You can recognize things.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now we're lining the sand as Highway 79. The current control objectives are to keep the fire to the west side of Highway 79 and keep it off the east side.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As long as they headed it off here at 79, our house will be safe.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel safe with all of the firefighters here. They're just stationed on every street.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Most of these hills have burned already. So they're not going to burn again. There is no wind. The humidity seems to be up.

So I'm not worried at all. The firemen, that's exactly what their plan was, just let it burn. They didn't even try to put it out. They were just kind of sitting around last night and not worried. So if they weren't worried, I wasn't worried.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I couldn't imagine anything worse. It was a huge roar. Fire smoked my hair and everything was singeing as we were running. And I didn't realize that for about an hour and a half that the burns were so bad.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is not the time for me to cry. This is time for me to organize my thoughts and rebuild the whole thing again from scratch.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Much more coming up on the devastating fires throughout this hour.

Also, when we come back, the evidence against Scott Peterson. Today, for the first time, we're beginning to learn why prosecutors say he killed his wife Laci Peterson and their unborn son.

Claiming responsibility. For the first time, al Qaeda admits Osama bin Laden ordered the assassination of a specific leader.

And safety in the skies questioned yet again. Box cutters, yes, more box cutters found on two more commercial airliners.

Here is your turn to weigh in on the story. Our Web question of the day is this: Does finding more box cutters on passenger jets make you feel less likely to fly? You can vote right now. Go to cnn.com/wolf.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: In today's "Justice Report," testimony from a young victim of last fall's sniper attacks in the Washington area. Fourteen-year-old Iran Brown, who was shot outside his school in Bowie, Maryland, was among the witnesses taking the stand today in John Allen Muhammad's murder trial in Virginia Beach. The boy testified the shooting brought him closer to god. Earlier, his mother had fought to keep him off the stand, saying he was terrified as being in the same room as Muhammad, but the motion was withdrawn.

California prosecutors are mincing no words today in a preliminary hearing in the Laci Peterson murder case. One key piece of evidence potentially a key issue. DNA evidence that they say proves that Scott Peterson killed his wife Laci and their unborn son last December.

CNN's Rusty Dornin joining us now from the site of the trial in Modesto, California -- Rusty.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Wolf, the preliminary hearing has not officially begun, because they first have this battle over the DNA evidence. We have been hearing from a DNA expert from the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia. She is a mitochondrial DNA expert. And mitochondrial DNA is what is found on hair and teeth and the sort. It is about hair found on pliers on the bottom of Scott's boat. Prosecutors say they believe it is Laci's. The defense wants the evidence thrown out before the preliminary hearing begins because they claim it's unreliable, it's not acceptable scientific techniques. So they are quizzing the DNA expert right now. Attorney Mark Geragos is cross-examining her.

Meantime, a little earlier, Geragos, who's butted heads before with attorney Gloria Allred -- she's the attorney for Amber Frey, who is expected to be the prosecution's star witness. He wanted her excluded from court proceedings. However, the judge says she can stay as long as she doesn't tell Frey what other witnesses say.

Prosecutors also said they will not be using any wiretap evidence in the preliminary hearing. And they also said they're going to be calling on two additional witnesses, one of whom was a house cleaner for Scott and Laci. The other is Amy Rocha, Laci's sister, who was one of the last people to see Laci Peterson alive. She was also called upon by investigators to go into the house when they had a search warrant on Scott and Laci Peterson's house.

So we have not started the preliminary hearing yet. We are hoping to do that some time later this afternoon or tomorrow. Meantime, the preliminary hearing is scheduled to go through sometime next Tuesday -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Rusty Dornin covering this trial for us -- this preliminary hearing, that is. Thanks very much, Rusty, for that.

And let's get some analysis now, some special insight into this case. The famed criminal defense attorney Robert Shapiro is joining us now live from Los Angeles.

How important, Bob, is this whole issue of this DNA evidence, this one piece of hair for the prosecution case?

ROBERT SHAPIRO, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: We're talking about trace evidence in a case that's basically a circumstantial case, as we've been led to believe. And therefore, it becomes a very, very important piece of evidence if, in fact, the prosecution can show that the hair was actually found on pliers, that the pliers were in Scott Peterson's boat, and that the hair, in fact, belonged to Laci. Those are all things that the defense is going to contest.

As far as the admissionibility of DNA, in the last 10 years there have been so many strides forward in DNA that that no longer is really a material issue. DNA is recognized as a valid science.

BLITZER: And so this is a significant development. But, as you say, it is mostly circumstantial. No eyewitness account, no even cause of death, as far as we know, right now, specifically from the coroner. So the case has to be a circumstantial case. How difficult is that for the prosecution to prove?

SHAPIRO: Most cases involving the deaths of a loved one or a spouse are circumstantial in nature, and the prosecution's main thrust is going to be that, number one, her body was found in a proximity of the area where Scott Peterson's boat was and where he was supposed to be out fishing. And the second, I believe -- and I hate to speculate. But I think that Amber Frey is going to be an important part of this case.

And if they can show that while Laci Peterson was missing and unaccounted for Scott Peterson was in a very romantic mode with Amber Frey, I think that testimony is going to be very, very devastating to Scott Peterson.

BLITZER: She was his girlfriend, both before and after the disappearance, the death of Laci Peterson. But what would that prove, motive, if you will, that he was in love with her and so he wanted to kill, allegedly, his wife?

SHAPIRO: I don't think, Wolf, that it would prove motive. But I think what it would show is that most people upon the disappearance of your wife would not act in a fashion that would be what Scott Peterson allegedly was doing. And that is not only having a relationship with Amber Frey, but according to the reports that I've heard earlier, there are in abundance of 300 wiretapped conversations between Scott Peterson and Amber Frey. And I think that piece of evidence is going to turn out to be crucial.

BLITZER: In other words, presumably, he wasn't showing the kind of remorse that a husband would show if his pregnant wife disappeared at that particular moment. Presumably, those wiretapped conversations and the testimony from Amber Frey, you're suggesting, might show that.

SHAPIRO: I believe that's where the prosecution is heading. But, again, as you know, Wolf, I'm not one that really likes to speculate. And I think the best thing is to let the evidence come forward.

The prosecution in this case has put 35 people on the witness list. They're going to put on a very intensive and extensive preliminary hearing to bring up as much evidence as they can to show that their case is a strong one.

BLITZER: And that's presumably to influence, briefly, the jury pool, is that it?

SHAPIRO: No, I don't think so. I think that it's the proper way for prosecutors to proceed. And that is, rather than say, well, I'm just going to do the bare minimum to get the case beyond a preliminary hearing, to let the preliminary hearing be an important part of the criminal justice procedure. And that is to present the evidence and give the defense a chance to cross-examine those witnesses, and it puts everyone in a much better position to really evaluate the case.

BLITZER: Robert Shapiro with his legal insight. Thanks very much, Bob, for that analysis.

SHAPIRO: You're welcome, Wolf. Thank you.

BLITZER: We'll continue to call on -- I'll call on you as this hearing continues.

Fighting the flames. Fire raging right now. Homes burning. No relief in sight. Neighborhoods in danger of being destroyed right now.

You'll see it live here. Our live coverage is continuing. Our top story on these fires.

And tipping the scales. New violence in Iraq as well, and a grim milestone.

Speculation ended. After two years, al Qaeda's mastermind claims responsibility for the assassination of a leader. We have new details. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: You're looking at these live pictures. These pictures coming in courtesy of our affiliate, KTTV, Big Bear Lake in San Bernadino County. Smoke all over the place, 62,000 acres so far have burned in southern California.

And it's not over with yet by a long shot. We'll continue to cover it, this story, this hour. But we have another item that's just coming in to CNN right now.

Pentagon sources suspect one of their most wanted is behind the stepped-up attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq. Let's get details now. Our senior correspondent, Jamie McIntyre, has the details -- Jamie.

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Wolf. Izzat Ibrahim Al-Duri, who was the Iraqi military northern commander and one of the closest to Saddam Hussein in his inner circle, is suspected as being behind some of these attacks. He's number six on the list of the 55 most wanted Iraqis, and the king of clubs in the famous deck of cards. The highest-ranking former official still at large, with the exception, of course, of Saddam Hussein himself.

Now, Pentagon officials speaking on condition of anonymity say that the capture of several suspected members of Ansar al-Islam within the last week in northern Iraq provided the intelligence that points to Al-Duri as a possible mastermind. Sources say that several suspects, including one said to be very close to Al-Duri, fingered him as the guy who is financing and coordinating the attacks.

Needless to say, U.S. military officials are searching for Al- Duri in the area north of Baghdad, the same area believed -- where Saddam Hussein is believed to be. They're searching for him very hard. But at this point, they have not been able to locate him. He is not believed, though, to be hiding with Saddam Hussein -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Jamie McIntyre with some new details. This could explain what's going on, at least who is partially behind these most recent attacks against U.S. and coalition forces. Jamie, thanks very much. Just about every day the report comes in, the toll rises. But a grim new milestone was set last night when am American tank was knocked out north of Baghdad. Two soldiers were killed, bringing to 117 the number of Americans killed by hostile fire since May 1st, when President Bush declared an end to major combat operations. That's more than the 114 killed actually killed during the invasion itself.

Just before the September 11 attacks, there was another blow that's been blamed on al Qaeda. Now a new development in the murder of a prominent Afghan military leader. For that, let's go live to our CNN national correspondent, Mike Boettcher. He's joining us in Atlanta -- Mike.

MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well Wolf, when that assassination occurred, two days before the 9/11 attacks, we didn't know it was a signal of things to come. That assassination was of General Ahmed Masoud. Now we know from al Qaeda's own Web site who is responsible.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BOETTCHER (voice-over): When Afghan resistance leader Ahmed Sha Masoud was assassinated two days before 9/11, there were strong suspicions that al Qaeda or its Taliban allies was responsible, that they were making a preemptive strike against their strongest domestic opponent. After two years of speculation, an article posted on an al Qaeda Web site for the first time says that Osama bin Laden personally ordered the assassination which was carried out by two men, authorities say, posing as journalists who had a bomb hidden in their camera.

PETER BERGEN, TERRORISM ANALYST: Well, it is interesting that Osama bin Laden personally ordered the assassination of Ahmed Sha Masoud, who was, after all, really the strongest military force against the Taliban, against al Qaeda.

BOETTCHER: Masoud was known as the lion of the (UNINTELLIGIBLE). He was one of the leaders of the Afghan resistance when the Soviets invaded in 1979. And years later, helped capture Kabul from the Soviet-backed Afghan government.

In death, Masoud has become Afghanistan's national hero. And CNN terrorism expert Peter Bergen thinks the news of bin Laden's role will have strong impact.

PETER BERGEN, CNN TERRORISM EXPERT: If bin Laden is caught by the Afghans, I think they would have a -- there would be a pretty strong move by the Afghans to try bin Laden for the murder of Masoud -- the assassination of Masoud, who was, after all, their national hero.

BOETTCHER: But if bin Laden ordered the assassination because he feared what would happen after 9/11, the strategy backfired. The U.S.-led military operation, which included the Northern Alliance, drove the Taliban and al Qaeda from power.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BOETTCHER: The Web site on which that message was carried is now down, as is another al Qaeda Web site. Now that is a sign, Wolf, of another war that's being fought out there -- one being fought in cyberspace -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Mike Boettcher with that important information. Thanks, Mike, very much.

Let's check some other stories making news at this hour.

(NEWSBREAK)

BLITZER: Picking up the pieces.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Residents coming to terms with their losses in Southern California. And at this hour, many more homes are still in danger. Our coverage continues.

Scare in the air. Box cutters aboard two U.S. flights. How did it happen again?

And miracle in the mine. Eleven Russians rescued after six days underground. An amazing survival story.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Raging war on more than one front. A look at how the brave people battling California's wildfires are handling the enormous job.

Not made for TV. Fires impacting Hollywood movie sets and some celebrity homes.

Our live coverage continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: These are live pictures, courtesy our affiliate KCAL-- KCBS. The fires in Southern California -- they're raging right now. More than 600,000 acres already burned. More, unfortunately, about to be burned down.

This is our top story. We're covering it in-depth this hour.

Let's get some more now. For that, we turn to CNN's Adrian Baschuk. He's in the mountain town of Julian. That's right near San Diego. Adrian, tell us what's happening.

ADRIAN BASCHUK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, we're just a few blocks from the main street of Julian. It rests in a valley and is surrounded by mountains and the great -- the huge fire has been creeping in on us all day. I'm sure you see the huge plumes of smoke moving through this canyon.

And off to our right, you will see just what remains of a smoldering forest land, once having towering flames ravage it. And simply there is one lone house left behind.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BASCHUK (voice-over): The Cedar Fire in San Diego County is the largest, a monstrous 18-mile blaze scorching more than 200,000 acres. The lakeside village of Cumacha (ph), 35 miles east of San Diego, is now nothing but parched, barren land.

The historic town of Julian, just west, with helicopters overhead hoping to save it, is threatened with the same fate today.

The danger, however, doesn't stop there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Copy, it's a type 2 (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

BASCHUK: Thirteen fires are burning statewide. One challenge for the thousands of firefighters -- stamping out spot fires started by flaming embers landing on dry grass.

CAPT. JAMES MCDONNELL, USS STENNIS: We're watching for these embers that are coming out of the column.

BASCHUK: One hundred miles north, in San Bernardino County, fire crews could not overcome the Grand Prix and Old fires, both blamed on arsonists, from blazing the Rim of the World Highway.

In Simi Valley, unpredictable, shifting winds forced people in Stevenson Ranch, just 30 miles away from downtown Los Angeles, to evacuate Tuesday.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, we packed the cars and we're ready to leave. But we talked to a lot of fire personnel and sheriff's personnel who are all over and made us feel very secure. And we decided to stay for the evening.

BASCHUK: Back in San Diego, the USS Stennis has returned to port, allowing its crewmembers to tend to their families.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're all hoping that the assessments are very positive for all the young men and women.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASCHUK: Now, as you can see from where I'm standing, the nemesis of these fire crews are winds gusting as high as 30 miles an hour, threatened to ground those much-needed helicopters -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Adrian Baschuk on the frontlines for us. Adrian, thanks very much.

They're battling the blazes on multiple fronts, as we've been watching, and they can't let up for a minute. And I'm referring specially to the firefighters in California, who are waging another battle against fatigue.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): So many fires. Huge in size. Some of the biggest not even half-contained.

On the frontlines, the work is dangerous, exhausting, and, at the moment, seemingly without end.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now, it is bordering on chaos. But we're just trying to stay ahead of it. Right now the fire is telling us what to do.

BLITZER: Twelve thousand firefighters are now battling these infernos. They're from local communities -- so-called "wildland firefighters" from the federal government. Others from military bases.

Men and women working shifts of eight, 12, sometimes 24 hours. Their one constant partner, fatigue.

This is how the typical firefighter complains about it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Since Saturday, with very minimal amount of sleep and not much to eat. But we're doing OK. Everyone is hanging in there. And all the firefighters are working hard.

BLITZER: When they come off the line, getting rest is relative.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now I'm not talking about good sleep. It's wherever you can catch a wink.

BLITZER: They go to the nearest base camp for what firefighters call rehabilitation. They eat, replenish body fluids, do maintenance on the equipment, get a briefing from their commander, and, if there's time, nap. Some don't come off the line at all.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're good at sleeping when and wherever they can. Mental awareness is an important part of that. The guys have to stay sharp to keep themselves from hazards.

BLITZER: It is called "coyote status," digging in where you are, sleeping on the spot.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've got some firefighters that are sleeping in our garage. They've been awesome.

BLITZER: No serious injuries so far in the weeks since the fires began. But some firefighters have been treated for exhaustion, and there are other health concerns.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not just the forests and the wood burning when so many thousands of homes now are burning. There's a lot of carcinogens, there's a lot of other toxins that are in this smoke. I'm very concerned about the long-term medical health of the firefighters on this line.

BLITZER: A concern seemingly ignored on the line. One fire official told us, quote "I've seen guys on these runs for four to five weeks. Us mortals can only admire their stamina and selflessness."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We did make a difference. We did save homes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And we, of course, salute these firefighters. Once again, reaffirming what we all know, they are heroes.

Airline security in question again. More dangerous items found on two U.S. flights. We'll have a live report.

And under investigation. A man the U.S. government says has ties to terrorism has his day in court.

And this, as well, impact on Hollywood. How the fires in southern California are affecting the movie industry and the stars who live there.

First, though, a quick look at some other news making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Cease fire moves. Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei says militant groups are willing to discuss a new cease-fire with Israel. Qorei plans to hold talks with Hamas and possibly with other Palestinian militant groups.

Return of the Raj. Britain's Prince Charles is in India on a nine day visit to the former British colony. He is rushing from one engagement to the next meeting with officials and other dignitaries. Prince Charles visited India 11 years ago with the late Princess Diana.

Found alive. Search crews blasted through solid rock to rescue 11 of the 13 Russian coal miners trapped for 6 days in a deep shaft. One miner died underground and the other is still missing. The survivors are said to be in good condition, considering what they've been through.

Saving dolphins. An American anti-whaling group has released a videotape of a Japanese dolphin hunt. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society tries to prevent the killing of dolphins. The hunting of dolphins is not banned by the International Whaling Commission but hunts in Japanese waters are subject to government set quotas. Marathon man. A British explorer is attempting a unique around the world journey by running in a marathon on each of the seven continents in seven days. And all that in less than five months after he suffered a near fatal heart attack.

Wacky cars. They're off. 150 self-made zany cars race for laughs, if not glory, at a park in Barcelona. The cars came from all over Spain to take part.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: CNN has just been told by the California Division of Forestry that one California firefighter has been killed two others injured in that devastating fire that's unfolding in San Diego fire right now. It's called the Cedar Fire in California. The first firefighter to die battling this blaze.

More than 12,000 firefighters working throughout southern California. Some 600,000 acres already have been burned. And now the first casualties among the firefighters. One firefighter dead, two others injured. We'll keep you updated on this development.

Let's move on, though, to another important story we're covering today. What does it take to keep illegal and potentially deadly items off commercial airliners? Federal authorities are trying to figure that out after the latest shocking discovery. Let's get some details and turn to CNN's Patty Davis -- Patty.

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, wolf, another big headache for the Transportation Security Administration, as more box cutters were found on planes yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVIS (voice-over): Federal screeners have found 53,000 box cutters and a host of weapons since taking over airport checkpoints a year ago, but not the box cutter onboard this U.S. Airways flight in Philadelphia on Tuesday or one found with a razor on another U.S. Airways flight in Boston the same day.

The incidents come less than two weeks after box cutters and other items were found on two Southwest planes, put there, according to court papers, by college student Nathaniel Heatwole to test security. Critics say it's a resource problem.

REP. EDWARD MARKET, (D) MASSACHUSETTS: Six thousand screeners have been cut by the Bush administration over the last five months. When screeners get cut out, then box cutters get in.

DAVIS: On the offensive, the TSA says the items may not have been smuggled through security. ANN DAVIS, TSA SPOKESWOMAN: They are very commonly used items -- items commonly used by maintenance crews. And so that is one possibility the FBI will explore.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DAVIS (on camera): Many aviation security experts say they do not believe the latest incidents necessarily suggest a plot by al Qaeda. They say box cutters cannot cut through new stronger cockpit doors. And even if they could, terrorists might face a pilot with a gun on the other side -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Thanks very much Patty Davis, for that.

In Alexandria, Virginia today, a prominent American-Muslim activist was arraigned in federal court and will remain in custody until his trial in February. He's charged with taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from Libya, designated by the U.S. government as a state sponsor of terrorism. More now from CNN justice correspondent Kelly Arena.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: The wife of Muslim activist, Abdul Rahman al-Amoudi, collapsed into tears outside the courthouse after a judge agreed with prosecutors that her husband is a flight risk and has to remain in custody until his trial.

STANLEY COHEN, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: We believe that Abdul Rahman al-Amoudi is a pillar in the community of this country. He would never flea. The court made the decision solely on the fact he has traveled overseas.

ARENA: Al-Amoudi's appearance in a prison jumpsuit is in sharp contrast to his public persona. He's used to rubbing elbows with Washington's power elite and is currently the director of the American Muslim Foundation. He helped put together the Pentagon's Muslim Chaplain program and he even served as a good will ambassador to the Arab world on state department trips, but that doesn't mean he avoided controversy.

ABDUL RAHMAN AL-AMOUDI, AMERICAN MUSLIM FOUNDATION: Anybody a supporter of Hamas here? Hear that, Bill Clinton, we are supporters of Hamas. Allah u Akhbar (ph). I wish they added that I am also a supporter of Hezbollah.

ARENA: Al-Amoudi pled not guilty to charges that he illegally accepted money from Libya, a country the U.S. says sponsors terrorism.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ARENA: Prosecutors also allege that al-Amoudi moved hundreds of thousands of dollars through charities to groups that support terrorism, but they haven't brought terror-related charges against him. Officials say an investigation on that front continues -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Kelli Arena with that. Thanks, Kelli, very much.

Dangerous fires, very dangerous, deadly fires. They are burning throughout Southern California. Find out how the flames are impacting the state's movie industry, that's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Earlier we asked -- the answer, first responders. The first responders to a wildfire can name it whatever they want. There are no rules, but they usually name a fire after a meadow, creek, city, or type of plant they see.

Let's recap the "Breaking News" we reported a few minutes ago. One firefighter, the first firefighter battling the blazes in Southern California now dead according to the California Division of Forestry. Two others injured. Two others wounded. Some 12,000 are involved now. The first causalities among the California firefighters dealing with these (AUDIO GAP). Even as we report on what's happening in Southern California let's show our viewers what's happening in Colorado, specifically outside Denver, Colorado right now. Look at this.

These are live pictures courtesy of our affiliate KUSA in Denver. Live pictures of a wildfire that has broken out not far away from Denver, not far from a subdivision out in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado. We're watching the fires in California. We're watching the fires in Colorado. We're going to continue to monitor all of these developments.

Let's take a quick break, though. As we take a quick break, the hot "Web Question of the Day" is this. I want to remind our viewers, does finding more box cutters on passenger jets make you less likely to fly?

You can still vote, cnn.com/wolf. We'll have the result goes when we come back.

Also, more on the latest breaking developments in the Southern California fires.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: There you see the results of the "Web Question of the Day." Remember, this is not a scientific poll.

Southern California's wildfires are taking a toll on the entertainment industry. A set for Martin Scorsese's film was destroyed in the Simi Valley fire. And Warner Brothers says the smoke makes shooting outdoors a huge problem. Of course, many celebrities call the region home. And along with all of Southern California, they can only hope and wait for the best.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JADA PINKETT SMITH, ACTRESS: Will and I are doing a lot of praying. I hope the families are feeling the vibrations and the prayers we're putting out.

BRAD GARRETT, ACTOR: It's devastating. I'm from California and I've been through this many times. I hope they can get them out. God bless the firemen.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is very scary, it's too close to home.

JANE SEYMOUR, ACTRESS: Last night I was really nervous. I was actually in the car with whatever I could take out of the house, and the children.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Dayna Devon is the co-anchor of "Extra." She is joining us now live from Los Angeles.

This is a huge problem for the entertainment industry, Dayna?

DAYNA DEVON, CO-ANCHOR "EXTRA": It really is. You know, a much of what they do is inside now a day on sound stages. But there are some shots that is can't be imitated other than going outside. You know, there's a lot people that are seeing real problems in the darkened skies, the heat the sirens, all of those kind of things. "The Aviator," the film -- the Warner Brothers' film staring Leonardo DiCaprio, has been delayed and they are no longer shooting outside. They have canceled that for the time being. "CSI" has seen part of their set closed down. 24 -- Fox's 24 have seen part of their set burned. So yes there are some problems in terms of production in Hollywood right now.

BLITZER: Dayna, unfortunately we have got to leave it right there. But thanks for joining us Dayne Devon, of "Extra." The co- anchor, thanks very much.

Reminder we are here everyday 5:00 p.m. Eastern. "LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now.

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 29, 2003 - 17:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: It's happening right now. This residential neighborhood in southern California could be up in flames soon. You're looking at lives pictures of the destruction, as southern California wildfires continue to expand.
Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): California burning. The wind shifts, but the danger increases.

Battling back, but how long can they hold out?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now it is bordering on chaos. But we are just trying to stay ahead of it. Right now the fire is telling us what to do.

BLITZER: Under attack. A grim milestone for U.S. troops in Iraq.

Who killed Laci Peterson? Prosecutors finally take their case to court.

Blades and box cutters. You won't believe where they're turning up again.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Wednesday, October 29, 2003.

BLITZER: Some improvement in the weather, but the situation on the ground in southern California is as desperate as ever this afternoon. Fire continues to threaten entire communities with flames roaring down from the hillsides and right into backyards, as panicked homeowners look on helplessly. Thousands of others are not so fortunate, returning to find they have nothing left but the clothes they fled in. This scene being repeated over and over today as many evacuees return for the first time.

And now, the California governor's office is estimating damage from the fire so far -- get this -- so far at about $2 billion, putting them in the ranks of the worst disasters ever to hit the state of California. Let's go right to the front lines, the latest, perhaps the most dramatic firefight under way right now in the mountains just east of San Diego, where crews are vowing to save an historic town.

CNN's Jeff Flock is right there -- Jeff.

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CHICAGO BUREAU CHIEF: Indeed, Wolf. They have been fighting all day. And in addition to fighting against the fire, they're fighting Mother Nature, who perhaps you can tell has been blowing tremendous winds today, has made it very difficult. Almost too difficult to get the aerial campaign going against this fire.

I want to show you the latest pictures. This is a big success story right now. This was the scene of a massive aerial bombardment of fire retardant, as well as water today, as well as hand crews going in there trying to hold this ridge. Already, in excess of 200 homes lost as the firefighters today tried to save what they could in the historic town of Julian.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FLOCK (voice-over): The cedar fire, now the largest in recorded California history, marches on. It's latest casualty, the quaint mountain town of Julian. Officials say hundreds of homes south and east of the town have already been lost. Now, the battle is on to save Julian proper, home to 3,500 people.

BILL KOLENDER, SAN DIEGO COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT.: They're trying to control some of the burning on the grounds. I think the thing they're concerned with right now is it jumping this road here and coming up here. We know it is working around that end of the road. They're keeping it on the other side of the road, but they are concerned about it coming over now.

FLOCK: Officials now have renewed fears that the nearly quarter- of-a-million-acre cedar fire could merge with the 40,000-acre paradise fire, now burning only a few miles away. Amazingly, in the midst of disaster, there are reports of looting.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have more than 300 deputies assigned to the fire zones. We are providing security for the evacuated neighborhoods. We have had reports of looting in the Harbison Canyon and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) areas of the unincorporated portion of El Cajon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FLOCK: And Wolf, I leave you with the picture of one success story. Take a look through the smoky haze at that one house nestled in the forest. A beautiful place to have a house, perhaps, as long as a wildfire is not threatening at your back door. They've saved this one so far.

So at least one piece of good news here in San Diego County. Wolf, back to you.

BLITZER: CNN's Jeff Flock with that report. Thanks, Jeff, very much. Be careful over there.

Let's go to CNN's Brian Cabell now. He is on the front line in Stevenson Ranch. That's northwest of downtown Los Angeles, where crews are battling the Simi Valley fire -- Brain.

BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, we've had a busy afternoon here in Stevenson Ranch. We were just about a mile away from here as the crow flies about an hour ago, when the flames seemed to be calming down. All of a sudden, we saw helicopters coming in with buckets. There was a problem on the other side of the hill of this particular neighborhood where we are now.

Let me show you some video that was shot just about an hour ago when this neighborhood was under siege. This was aerials I believe shot, as I say, about an hour ago. A dozen trucks came in. Residents fled this neighborhood as flames were licking at the backyards of these homes.

These are some fairly expensive homes, a half million dollars and more. Firefighters were out here, literally, in every backyard on some blocks knocking down this fire. Fortunately, as far as we can see and from what we've heard, no major damage to any of these stucco homes here. This just another battle in this war on the fires of southern California.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CABELL (voice-over): Crews battled the Simi Valley fire in the northwest corner of Los Angeles County, and they are making some progress. About one quarter of the 100,000-acre blaze is now contained, and the houses themselves may have helped mitigate the disaster.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They've been built in the last two to three years, so they have fire-retardant roofs. There's no wood that shows under the eves. It is all stuccoed up. So they were confident last night that they could save our homes, and they did.

CABELL: Another hopeful note, the fierce Santa Ana winds that blew these blazes out of control are gone.

DALLAS JONES, CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR'S OFFICE FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES: The offshore breezes have diminished and we've had onshore breezes. The good news with that is it brings a lowering of the humidity and a lowering of the temperatures. And of course that helps our firefighters.

CABELL: Also in the line of fire, the mountain resort communities of Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear, about 80 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. The area is filled with millions of trees killed by an insect plague. Dead wood, that's perfect fuel for a fire.

Some 80,000 people have been evacuated. Those who stayed behind are seeing the devastation firsthand. This man lost his lumber business.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is probably six, seven years of hard work down the drain.

CABELL (on camera): And how tough is it to look out over this stuff?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it's only wood. There's a lot more, hopefully. I'm beat. I've been up for two days.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CABELL: Here in Stevenson Ranch, the trucks are still out, the firemen on the ready. But right now, the immediate danger seems to have passed.

We were just saying a little while ago, Wolf, that it was cooler today, the winds had died down somewhat. It was higher humidity. The weather looked more favorable.

But we can feel the winds picking up once again. And again, we are at the mercy of the winds. When the winds pick up, the fires just over the mountain here, they pick up, and they certainly put these houses in danger -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Brian Cabell, just be careful over there, you and all our colleagues. Thanks very much, Brian Cabell.

We have some live pictures I want to show our viewers right now from this area, Lake Arrowhead, that's in California. Take a look at this.

These are live pictures courtesy of our affiliate KCAL-KCBS. This is a house. It was once a beautiful house. Look at it now. It is about to become ash.

Ashes unfolding right now. Live pictures of what's happening. Only one tiny, tiny piece of a bigger picture.

This is a heart-breaking scene. It is unfolding over and over and over again in San Diego County, L.A. County, here in San Bernadino County, elsewhere in southern California. Unbelievable what's going on now. These live pictures thanks to our affiliate coverage.

You've seen the devastation. Let's show you some of the numbers. The California Department of Forestry says more than 621,000 acres have burned. That's almost the size of Rhode Island.

At last count, about 2,000 homes have been destroyed. We just saw one that was destroyed. At least 17 people have been killed. More than 13,000 firefighters from California, from elsewhere around the country, and support crew. They're now manning, they're dealing with the fire lines.

California's governor-elect, Arnold Schwarzenegger, was in Washington D.C. on a previously scheduled trip today. In addition to meeting with his uncle-in-law, the Democratic senator, Ted Kennedy, he also met with the Federal Emergency Management officials seeking help for the state he'll soon lead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GOVERNOR-ELECT ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA: Anyone and everyone I've talked to today has guaranteed me they will do everything they can to help us in California, which is the great thing. I mean, I'm -- even though it's very sad of what's going on in California, but, at the same time, there's a happy moment also when you come here and you ask for help and people open up their arms and say, "We're there with you. We're going to help California."

So that has been the message in all my meetings this morning.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: For those of us not effected by the fires in southern California, the death, the devastation, the sheer horror of it all is virtually impossible to imagine. Here now is what some have suffered and others continue to endure.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's been horrendous. I sat in my favorite window seat and I watched the flames get closer and closer and closer to my dream home.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And when I went out into the driveway, you looked up and the whole sky was completely orange. So we left. I grabbed the two kids, the cat, and just jumped into the car.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is just pretty scary. I had no clue what to take. My mom said to pack up. It was just really hard to think of what I'd need to bring with me that would save and savor all those moments and memories that I have.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got most of my music collection. I got my school stuff, my homework, and all that. All my money.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, the destruction, I mean, I had thought it might just be ankle high. But I don't know. Maybe this is even worse. You can recognize things.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now we're lining the sand as Highway 79. The current control objectives are to keep the fire to the west side of Highway 79 and keep it off the east side.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As long as they headed it off here at 79, our house will be safe.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel safe with all of the firefighters here. They're just stationed on every street.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Most of these hills have burned already. So they're not going to burn again. There is no wind. The humidity seems to be up.

So I'm not worried at all. The firemen, that's exactly what their plan was, just let it burn. They didn't even try to put it out. They were just kind of sitting around last night and not worried. So if they weren't worried, I wasn't worried.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I couldn't imagine anything worse. It was a huge roar. Fire smoked my hair and everything was singeing as we were running. And I didn't realize that for about an hour and a half that the burns were so bad.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is not the time for me to cry. This is time for me to organize my thoughts and rebuild the whole thing again from scratch.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Much more coming up on the devastating fires throughout this hour.

Also, when we come back, the evidence against Scott Peterson. Today, for the first time, we're beginning to learn why prosecutors say he killed his wife Laci Peterson and their unborn son.

Claiming responsibility. For the first time, al Qaeda admits Osama bin Laden ordered the assassination of a specific leader.

And safety in the skies questioned yet again. Box cutters, yes, more box cutters found on two more commercial airliners.

Here is your turn to weigh in on the story. Our Web question of the day is this: Does finding more box cutters on passenger jets make you feel less likely to fly? You can vote right now. Go to cnn.com/wolf.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: In today's "Justice Report," testimony from a young victim of last fall's sniper attacks in the Washington area. Fourteen-year-old Iran Brown, who was shot outside his school in Bowie, Maryland, was among the witnesses taking the stand today in John Allen Muhammad's murder trial in Virginia Beach. The boy testified the shooting brought him closer to god. Earlier, his mother had fought to keep him off the stand, saying he was terrified as being in the same room as Muhammad, but the motion was withdrawn.

California prosecutors are mincing no words today in a preliminary hearing in the Laci Peterson murder case. One key piece of evidence potentially a key issue. DNA evidence that they say proves that Scott Peterson killed his wife Laci and their unborn son last December.

CNN's Rusty Dornin joining us now from the site of the trial in Modesto, California -- Rusty.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Wolf, the preliminary hearing has not officially begun, because they first have this battle over the DNA evidence. We have been hearing from a DNA expert from the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia. She is a mitochondrial DNA expert. And mitochondrial DNA is what is found on hair and teeth and the sort. It is about hair found on pliers on the bottom of Scott's boat. Prosecutors say they believe it is Laci's. The defense wants the evidence thrown out before the preliminary hearing begins because they claim it's unreliable, it's not acceptable scientific techniques. So they are quizzing the DNA expert right now. Attorney Mark Geragos is cross-examining her.

Meantime, a little earlier, Geragos, who's butted heads before with attorney Gloria Allred -- she's the attorney for Amber Frey, who is expected to be the prosecution's star witness. He wanted her excluded from court proceedings. However, the judge says she can stay as long as she doesn't tell Frey what other witnesses say.

Prosecutors also said they will not be using any wiretap evidence in the preliminary hearing. And they also said they're going to be calling on two additional witnesses, one of whom was a house cleaner for Scott and Laci. The other is Amy Rocha, Laci's sister, who was one of the last people to see Laci Peterson alive. She was also called upon by investigators to go into the house when they had a search warrant on Scott and Laci Peterson's house.

So we have not started the preliminary hearing yet. We are hoping to do that some time later this afternoon or tomorrow. Meantime, the preliminary hearing is scheduled to go through sometime next Tuesday -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Rusty Dornin covering this trial for us -- this preliminary hearing, that is. Thanks very much, Rusty, for that.

And let's get some analysis now, some special insight into this case. The famed criminal defense attorney Robert Shapiro is joining us now live from Los Angeles.

How important, Bob, is this whole issue of this DNA evidence, this one piece of hair for the prosecution case?

ROBERT SHAPIRO, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: We're talking about trace evidence in a case that's basically a circumstantial case, as we've been led to believe. And therefore, it becomes a very, very important piece of evidence if, in fact, the prosecution can show that the hair was actually found on pliers, that the pliers were in Scott Peterson's boat, and that the hair, in fact, belonged to Laci. Those are all things that the defense is going to contest.

As far as the admissionibility of DNA, in the last 10 years there have been so many strides forward in DNA that that no longer is really a material issue. DNA is recognized as a valid science.

BLITZER: And so this is a significant development. But, as you say, it is mostly circumstantial. No eyewitness account, no even cause of death, as far as we know, right now, specifically from the coroner. So the case has to be a circumstantial case. How difficult is that for the prosecution to prove?

SHAPIRO: Most cases involving the deaths of a loved one or a spouse are circumstantial in nature, and the prosecution's main thrust is going to be that, number one, her body was found in a proximity of the area where Scott Peterson's boat was and where he was supposed to be out fishing. And the second, I believe -- and I hate to speculate. But I think that Amber Frey is going to be an important part of this case.

And if they can show that while Laci Peterson was missing and unaccounted for Scott Peterson was in a very romantic mode with Amber Frey, I think that testimony is going to be very, very devastating to Scott Peterson.

BLITZER: She was his girlfriend, both before and after the disappearance, the death of Laci Peterson. But what would that prove, motive, if you will, that he was in love with her and so he wanted to kill, allegedly, his wife?

SHAPIRO: I don't think, Wolf, that it would prove motive. But I think what it would show is that most people upon the disappearance of your wife would not act in a fashion that would be what Scott Peterson allegedly was doing. And that is not only having a relationship with Amber Frey, but according to the reports that I've heard earlier, there are in abundance of 300 wiretapped conversations between Scott Peterson and Amber Frey. And I think that piece of evidence is going to turn out to be crucial.

BLITZER: In other words, presumably, he wasn't showing the kind of remorse that a husband would show if his pregnant wife disappeared at that particular moment. Presumably, those wiretapped conversations and the testimony from Amber Frey, you're suggesting, might show that.

SHAPIRO: I believe that's where the prosecution is heading. But, again, as you know, Wolf, I'm not one that really likes to speculate. And I think the best thing is to let the evidence come forward.

The prosecution in this case has put 35 people on the witness list. They're going to put on a very intensive and extensive preliminary hearing to bring up as much evidence as they can to show that their case is a strong one.

BLITZER: And that's presumably to influence, briefly, the jury pool, is that it?

SHAPIRO: No, I don't think so. I think that it's the proper way for prosecutors to proceed. And that is, rather than say, well, I'm just going to do the bare minimum to get the case beyond a preliminary hearing, to let the preliminary hearing be an important part of the criminal justice procedure. And that is to present the evidence and give the defense a chance to cross-examine those witnesses, and it puts everyone in a much better position to really evaluate the case.

BLITZER: Robert Shapiro with his legal insight. Thanks very much, Bob, for that analysis.

SHAPIRO: You're welcome, Wolf. Thank you.

BLITZER: We'll continue to call on -- I'll call on you as this hearing continues.

Fighting the flames. Fire raging right now. Homes burning. No relief in sight. Neighborhoods in danger of being destroyed right now.

You'll see it live here. Our live coverage is continuing. Our top story on these fires.

And tipping the scales. New violence in Iraq as well, and a grim milestone.

Speculation ended. After two years, al Qaeda's mastermind claims responsibility for the assassination of a leader. We have new details. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: You're looking at these live pictures. These pictures coming in courtesy of our affiliate, KTTV, Big Bear Lake in San Bernadino County. Smoke all over the place, 62,000 acres so far have burned in southern California.

And it's not over with yet by a long shot. We'll continue to cover it, this story, this hour. But we have another item that's just coming in to CNN right now.

Pentagon sources suspect one of their most wanted is behind the stepped-up attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq. Let's get details now. Our senior correspondent, Jamie McIntyre, has the details -- Jamie.

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Wolf. Izzat Ibrahim Al-Duri, who was the Iraqi military northern commander and one of the closest to Saddam Hussein in his inner circle, is suspected as being behind some of these attacks. He's number six on the list of the 55 most wanted Iraqis, and the king of clubs in the famous deck of cards. The highest-ranking former official still at large, with the exception, of course, of Saddam Hussein himself.

Now, Pentagon officials speaking on condition of anonymity say that the capture of several suspected members of Ansar al-Islam within the last week in northern Iraq provided the intelligence that points to Al-Duri as a possible mastermind. Sources say that several suspects, including one said to be very close to Al-Duri, fingered him as the guy who is financing and coordinating the attacks.

Needless to say, U.S. military officials are searching for Al- Duri in the area north of Baghdad, the same area believed -- where Saddam Hussein is believed to be. They're searching for him very hard. But at this point, they have not been able to locate him. He is not believed, though, to be hiding with Saddam Hussein -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Jamie McIntyre with some new details. This could explain what's going on, at least who is partially behind these most recent attacks against U.S. and coalition forces. Jamie, thanks very much. Just about every day the report comes in, the toll rises. But a grim new milestone was set last night when am American tank was knocked out north of Baghdad. Two soldiers were killed, bringing to 117 the number of Americans killed by hostile fire since May 1st, when President Bush declared an end to major combat operations. That's more than the 114 killed actually killed during the invasion itself.

Just before the September 11 attacks, there was another blow that's been blamed on al Qaeda. Now a new development in the murder of a prominent Afghan military leader. For that, let's go live to our CNN national correspondent, Mike Boettcher. He's joining us in Atlanta -- Mike.

MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well Wolf, when that assassination occurred, two days before the 9/11 attacks, we didn't know it was a signal of things to come. That assassination was of General Ahmed Masoud. Now we know from al Qaeda's own Web site who is responsible.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BOETTCHER (voice-over): When Afghan resistance leader Ahmed Sha Masoud was assassinated two days before 9/11, there were strong suspicions that al Qaeda or its Taliban allies was responsible, that they were making a preemptive strike against their strongest domestic opponent. After two years of speculation, an article posted on an al Qaeda Web site for the first time says that Osama bin Laden personally ordered the assassination which was carried out by two men, authorities say, posing as journalists who had a bomb hidden in their camera.

PETER BERGEN, TERRORISM ANALYST: Well, it is interesting that Osama bin Laden personally ordered the assassination of Ahmed Sha Masoud, who was, after all, really the strongest military force against the Taliban, against al Qaeda.

BOETTCHER: Masoud was known as the lion of the (UNINTELLIGIBLE). He was one of the leaders of the Afghan resistance when the Soviets invaded in 1979. And years later, helped capture Kabul from the Soviet-backed Afghan government.

In death, Masoud has become Afghanistan's national hero. And CNN terrorism expert Peter Bergen thinks the news of bin Laden's role will have strong impact.

PETER BERGEN, CNN TERRORISM EXPERT: If bin Laden is caught by the Afghans, I think they would have a -- there would be a pretty strong move by the Afghans to try bin Laden for the murder of Masoud -- the assassination of Masoud, who was, after all, their national hero.

BOETTCHER: But if bin Laden ordered the assassination because he feared what would happen after 9/11, the strategy backfired. The U.S.-led military operation, which included the Northern Alliance, drove the Taliban and al Qaeda from power.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BOETTCHER: The Web site on which that message was carried is now down, as is another al Qaeda Web site. Now that is a sign, Wolf, of another war that's being fought out there -- one being fought in cyberspace -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Mike Boettcher with that important information. Thanks, Mike, very much.

Let's check some other stories making news at this hour.

(NEWSBREAK)

BLITZER: Picking up the pieces.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Residents coming to terms with their losses in Southern California. And at this hour, many more homes are still in danger. Our coverage continues.

Scare in the air. Box cutters aboard two U.S. flights. How did it happen again?

And miracle in the mine. Eleven Russians rescued after six days underground. An amazing survival story.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Raging war on more than one front. A look at how the brave people battling California's wildfires are handling the enormous job.

Not made for TV. Fires impacting Hollywood movie sets and some celebrity homes.

Our live coverage continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: These are live pictures, courtesy our affiliate KCAL-- KCBS. The fires in Southern California -- they're raging right now. More than 600,000 acres already burned. More, unfortunately, about to be burned down.

This is our top story. We're covering it in-depth this hour.

Let's get some more now. For that, we turn to CNN's Adrian Baschuk. He's in the mountain town of Julian. That's right near San Diego. Adrian, tell us what's happening.

ADRIAN BASCHUK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, we're just a few blocks from the main street of Julian. It rests in a valley and is surrounded by mountains and the great -- the huge fire has been creeping in on us all day. I'm sure you see the huge plumes of smoke moving through this canyon.

And off to our right, you will see just what remains of a smoldering forest land, once having towering flames ravage it. And simply there is one lone house left behind.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BASCHUK (voice-over): The Cedar Fire in San Diego County is the largest, a monstrous 18-mile blaze scorching more than 200,000 acres. The lakeside village of Cumacha (ph), 35 miles east of San Diego, is now nothing but parched, barren land.

The historic town of Julian, just west, with helicopters overhead hoping to save it, is threatened with the same fate today.

The danger, however, doesn't stop there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Copy, it's a type 2 (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

BASCHUK: Thirteen fires are burning statewide. One challenge for the thousands of firefighters -- stamping out spot fires started by flaming embers landing on dry grass.

CAPT. JAMES MCDONNELL, USS STENNIS: We're watching for these embers that are coming out of the column.

BASCHUK: One hundred miles north, in San Bernardino County, fire crews could not overcome the Grand Prix and Old fires, both blamed on arsonists, from blazing the Rim of the World Highway.

In Simi Valley, unpredictable, shifting winds forced people in Stevenson Ranch, just 30 miles away from downtown Los Angeles, to evacuate Tuesday.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, we packed the cars and we're ready to leave. But we talked to a lot of fire personnel and sheriff's personnel who are all over and made us feel very secure. And we decided to stay for the evening.

BASCHUK: Back in San Diego, the USS Stennis has returned to port, allowing its crewmembers to tend to their families.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're all hoping that the assessments are very positive for all the young men and women.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASCHUK: Now, as you can see from where I'm standing, the nemesis of these fire crews are winds gusting as high as 30 miles an hour, threatened to ground those much-needed helicopters -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Adrian Baschuk on the frontlines for us. Adrian, thanks very much.

They're battling the blazes on multiple fronts, as we've been watching, and they can't let up for a minute. And I'm referring specially to the firefighters in California, who are waging another battle against fatigue.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): So many fires. Huge in size. Some of the biggest not even half-contained.

On the frontlines, the work is dangerous, exhausting, and, at the moment, seemingly without end.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now, it is bordering on chaos. But we're just trying to stay ahead of it. Right now the fire is telling us what to do.

BLITZER: Twelve thousand firefighters are now battling these infernos. They're from local communities -- so-called "wildland firefighters" from the federal government. Others from military bases.

Men and women working shifts of eight, 12, sometimes 24 hours. Their one constant partner, fatigue.

This is how the typical firefighter complains about it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Since Saturday, with very minimal amount of sleep and not much to eat. But we're doing OK. Everyone is hanging in there. And all the firefighters are working hard.

BLITZER: When they come off the line, getting rest is relative.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now I'm not talking about good sleep. It's wherever you can catch a wink.

BLITZER: They go to the nearest base camp for what firefighters call rehabilitation. They eat, replenish body fluids, do maintenance on the equipment, get a briefing from their commander, and, if there's time, nap. Some don't come off the line at all.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're good at sleeping when and wherever they can. Mental awareness is an important part of that. The guys have to stay sharp to keep themselves from hazards.

BLITZER: It is called "coyote status," digging in where you are, sleeping on the spot.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've got some firefighters that are sleeping in our garage. They've been awesome.

BLITZER: No serious injuries so far in the weeks since the fires began. But some firefighters have been treated for exhaustion, and there are other health concerns.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not just the forests and the wood burning when so many thousands of homes now are burning. There's a lot of carcinogens, there's a lot of other toxins that are in this smoke. I'm very concerned about the long-term medical health of the firefighters on this line.

BLITZER: A concern seemingly ignored on the line. One fire official told us, quote "I've seen guys on these runs for four to five weeks. Us mortals can only admire their stamina and selflessness."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We did make a difference. We did save homes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And we, of course, salute these firefighters. Once again, reaffirming what we all know, they are heroes.

Airline security in question again. More dangerous items found on two U.S. flights. We'll have a live report.

And under investigation. A man the U.S. government says has ties to terrorism has his day in court.

And this, as well, impact on Hollywood. How the fires in southern California are affecting the movie industry and the stars who live there.

First, though, a quick look at some other news making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Cease fire moves. Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei says militant groups are willing to discuss a new cease-fire with Israel. Qorei plans to hold talks with Hamas and possibly with other Palestinian militant groups.

Return of the Raj. Britain's Prince Charles is in India on a nine day visit to the former British colony. He is rushing from one engagement to the next meeting with officials and other dignitaries. Prince Charles visited India 11 years ago with the late Princess Diana.

Found alive. Search crews blasted through solid rock to rescue 11 of the 13 Russian coal miners trapped for 6 days in a deep shaft. One miner died underground and the other is still missing. The survivors are said to be in good condition, considering what they've been through.

Saving dolphins. An American anti-whaling group has released a videotape of a Japanese dolphin hunt. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society tries to prevent the killing of dolphins. The hunting of dolphins is not banned by the International Whaling Commission but hunts in Japanese waters are subject to government set quotas. Marathon man. A British explorer is attempting a unique around the world journey by running in a marathon on each of the seven continents in seven days. And all that in less than five months after he suffered a near fatal heart attack.

Wacky cars. They're off. 150 self-made zany cars race for laughs, if not glory, at a park in Barcelona. The cars came from all over Spain to take part.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: CNN has just been told by the California Division of Forestry that one California firefighter has been killed two others injured in that devastating fire that's unfolding in San Diego fire right now. It's called the Cedar Fire in California. The first firefighter to die battling this blaze.

More than 12,000 firefighters working throughout southern California. Some 600,000 acres already have been burned. And now the first casualties among the firefighters. One firefighter dead, two others injured. We'll keep you updated on this development.

Let's move on, though, to another important story we're covering today. What does it take to keep illegal and potentially deadly items off commercial airliners? Federal authorities are trying to figure that out after the latest shocking discovery. Let's get some details and turn to CNN's Patty Davis -- Patty.

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, wolf, another big headache for the Transportation Security Administration, as more box cutters were found on planes yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVIS (voice-over): Federal screeners have found 53,000 box cutters and a host of weapons since taking over airport checkpoints a year ago, but not the box cutter onboard this U.S. Airways flight in Philadelphia on Tuesday or one found with a razor on another U.S. Airways flight in Boston the same day.

The incidents come less than two weeks after box cutters and other items were found on two Southwest planes, put there, according to court papers, by college student Nathaniel Heatwole to test security. Critics say it's a resource problem.

REP. EDWARD MARKET, (D) MASSACHUSETTS: Six thousand screeners have been cut by the Bush administration over the last five months. When screeners get cut out, then box cutters get in.

DAVIS: On the offensive, the TSA says the items may not have been smuggled through security. ANN DAVIS, TSA SPOKESWOMAN: They are very commonly used items -- items commonly used by maintenance crews. And so that is one possibility the FBI will explore.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DAVIS (on camera): Many aviation security experts say they do not believe the latest incidents necessarily suggest a plot by al Qaeda. They say box cutters cannot cut through new stronger cockpit doors. And even if they could, terrorists might face a pilot with a gun on the other side -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Thanks very much Patty Davis, for that.

In Alexandria, Virginia today, a prominent American-Muslim activist was arraigned in federal court and will remain in custody until his trial in February. He's charged with taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from Libya, designated by the U.S. government as a state sponsor of terrorism. More now from CNN justice correspondent Kelly Arena.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: The wife of Muslim activist, Abdul Rahman al-Amoudi, collapsed into tears outside the courthouse after a judge agreed with prosecutors that her husband is a flight risk and has to remain in custody until his trial.

STANLEY COHEN, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: We believe that Abdul Rahman al-Amoudi is a pillar in the community of this country. He would never flea. The court made the decision solely on the fact he has traveled overseas.

ARENA: Al-Amoudi's appearance in a prison jumpsuit is in sharp contrast to his public persona. He's used to rubbing elbows with Washington's power elite and is currently the director of the American Muslim Foundation. He helped put together the Pentagon's Muslim Chaplain program and he even served as a good will ambassador to the Arab world on state department trips, but that doesn't mean he avoided controversy.

ABDUL RAHMAN AL-AMOUDI, AMERICAN MUSLIM FOUNDATION: Anybody a supporter of Hamas here? Hear that, Bill Clinton, we are supporters of Hamas. Allah u Akhbar (ph). I wish they added that I am also a supporter of Hezbollah.

ARENA: Al-Amoudi pled not guilty to charges that he illegally accepted money from Libya, a country the U.S. says sponsors terrorism.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ARENA: Prosecutors also allege that al-Amoudi moved hundreds of thousands of dollars through charities to groups that support terrorism, but they haven't brought terror-related charges against him. Officials say an investigation on that front continues -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Kelli Arena with that. Thanks, Kelli, very much.

Dangerous fires, very dangerous, deadly fires. They are burning throughout Southern California. Find out how the flames are impacting the state's movie industry, that's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Earlier we asked -- the answer, first responders. The first responders to a wildfire can name it whatever they want. There are no rules, but they usually name a fire after a meadow, creek, city, or type of plant they see.

Let's recap the "Breaking News" we reported a few minutes ago. One firefighter, the first firefighter battling the blazes in Southern California now dead according to the California Division of Forestry. Two others injured. Two others wounded. Some 12,000 are involved now. The first causalities among the California firefighters dealing with these (AUDIO GAP). Even as we report on what's happening in Southern California let's show our viewers what's happening in Colorado, specifically outside Denver, Colorado right now. Look at this.

These are live pictures courtesy of our affiliate KUSA in Denver. Live pictures of a wildfire that has broken out not far away from Denver, not far from a subdivision out in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado. We're watching the fires in California. We're watching the fires in Colorado. We're going to continue to monitor all of these developments.

Let's take a quick break, though. As we take a quick break, the hot "Web Question of the Day" is this. I want to remind our viewers, does finding more box cutters on passenger jets make you less likely to fly?

You can still vote, cnn.com/wolf. We'll have the result goes when we come back.

Also, more on the latest breaking developments in the Southern California fires.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: There you see the results of the "Web Question of the Day." Remember, this is not a scientific poll.

Southern California's wildfires are taking a toll on the entertainment industry. A set for Martin Scorsese's film was destroyed in the Simi Valley fire. And Warner Brothers says the smoke makes shooting outdoors a huge problem. Of course, many celebrities call the region home. And along with all of Southern California, they can only hope and wait for the best.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JADA PINKETT SMITH, ACTRESS: Will and I are doing a lot of praying. I hope the families are feeling the vibrations and the prayers we're putting out.

BRAD GARRETT, ACTOR: It's devastating. I'm from California and I've been through this many times. I hope they can get them out. God bless the firemen.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is very scary, it's too close to home.

JANE SEYMOUR, ACTRESS: Last night I was really nervous. I was actually in the car with whatever I could take out of the house, and the children.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Dayna Devon is the co-anchor of "Extra." She is joining us now live from Los Angeles.

This is a huge problem for the entertainment industry, Dayna?

DAYNA DEVON, CO-ANCHOR "EXTRA": It really is. You know, a much of what they do is inside now a day on sound stages. But there are some shots that is can't be imitated other than going outside. You know, there's a lot people that are seeing real problems in the darkened skies, the heat the sirens, all of those kind of things. "The Aviator," the film -- the Warner Brothers' film staring Leonardo DiCaprio, has been delayed and they are no longer shooting outside. They have canceled that for the time being. "CSI" has seen part of their set closed down. 24 -- Fox's 24 have seen part of their set burned. So yes there are some problems in terms of production in Hollywood right now.

BLITZER: Dayna, unfortunately we have got to leave it right there. But thanks for joining us Dayne Devon, of "Extra." The co- anchor, thanks very much.

Reminder we are here everyday 5:00 p.m. Eastern. "LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now.

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