Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
California Wildfires: Favorable Weather Makes Officials Optimistic
Aired October 31, 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We want to take you live right now to southern California to see what it's like this morning. Keith Oppenheim was traveling overnight, and he's just pulled up in Running Springs.
Keith -- what did you see along the way?
KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it was a pretty tough ride up the mountain. It's extremely foggy. In fact, Carol, as we were driving, you really couldn't see. You really had to sort of look out to be able to see where the yellow line is in the middle of the road and the white on the right side. And sometimes, despite best efforts, we had to just to stop as we were going and couldn't see at all. Firefighters are having some of the same problems while they are moving around, too.
So, this moisture in the air is a mixed bag, partly it is very difficult for them, but overall it's probably a very good thing, because it's creating the climate in which it ultimately will be easier to knock down this fire.
COSTELLO: Yes, tell us about the winds this morning.
OPPENHEIM: It's still pretty brisk out here, and so that's going to be an issue. We believe that the fire continues to move in the direction of Big Bear. That's to the east of where we are at generally, and that's also a resort area. So, that area has also been evacuated. And it is the concern that the winds could keep pushing the Old Fire, as it is called here, in that direction and that's causing those evacuations.
COSTELLO: Can you tell us how much of the fire has been contained? Is there a percentage you can give us right now?
OPPENHEIM: There are really two fires in San Bernardino County that are primarily active. The Grand Prix Fire, which, I believe, is 40-percent contained at last check. But the Old Fire, the one that we keep talking about supposedly set by arsonists, is only 10-percent contained. So, it is still a major concern.
Again, as you mentioned, state officials are talking about the possibility of the major fires in this state being fully contained by next week, but we're being careful in talking about that, because this fire is still on the move.
COSTELLO: Yes. Keith Oppenheim, many thanks -- reporting live for us from California. And you be careful out there.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Optimistic>
Aired October 31, 2003 - 06:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We want to take you live right now to southern California to see what it's like this morning. Keith Oppenheim was traveling overnight, and he's just pulled up in Running Springs.
Keith -- what did you see along the way?
KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it was a pretty tough ride up the mountain. It's extremely foggy. In fact, Carol, as we were driving, you really couldn't see. You really had to sort of look out to be able to see where the yellow line is in the middle of the road and the white on the right side. And sometimes, despite best efforts, we had to just to stop as we were going and couldn't see at all. Firefighters are having some of the same problems while they are moving around, too.
So, this moisture in the air is a mixed bag, partly it is very difficult for them, but overall it's probably a very good thing, because it's creating the climate in which it ultimately will be easier to knock down this fire.
COSTELLO: Yes, tell us about the winds this morning.
OPPENHEIM: It's still pretty brisk out here, and so that's going to be an issue. We believe that the fire continues to move in the direction of Big Bear. That's to the east of where we are at generally, and that's also a resort area. So, that area has also been evacuated. And it is the concern that the winds could keep pushing the Old Fire, as it is called here, in that direction and that's causing those evacuations.
COSTELLO: Can you tell us how much of the fire has been contained? Is there a percentage you can give us right now?
OPPENHEIM: There are really two fires in San Bernardino County that are primarily active. The Grand Prix Fire, which, I believe, is 40-percent contained at last check. But the Old Fire, the one that we keep talking about supposedly set by arsonists, is only 10-percent contained. So, it is still a major concern.
Again, as you mentioned, state officials are talking about the possibility of the major fires in this state being fully contained by next week, but we're being careful in talking about that, because this fire is still on the move.
COSTELLO: Yes. Keith Oppenheim, many thanks -- reporting live for us from California. And you be careful out there.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Optimistic>
