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American Morning

New Fires Break Out Overnight; More Heavy Rain Pounding California

Aired December 30, 2005 - 07:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. I'm Miles O'Brien. A developing story in Oklahoma. New fires break out overnight. Firefighters battling intense, dry and windy conditions. Sorry about the graphic there. And there you see the governor of Texas as he toured the area. We'll have a live report from the scene straight ahead.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Carol Costello, in for Soledad. Today more heavy rain pounding California. It could get really ugly this weekend with mudslides and flooding. Real threats. We'll have a live report for you straight ahead.

O'BRIEN: And a flight for life for Baby Noor, the tiny critically ill girl going from her home in Iraq to the U.S. as we speak. Her story taking a dramatic turn, on this AMERICAN MORNING.

COSTELLO: And good morning to you. It's 7:00 a.m. Eastern straight up. Thank you for joining us this morning.

O'BRIEN: Good to have you with us.

We begin with a developing story out of Oklahoma. Just this morning a new brushfire breaking out near Oklahoma City. Firefighters in Texas and Oklahoma this time are exhausted. As soon as they get a handle on one fire, a burning ember starts yet another one. This newest fire is in Choctaw. That's right outside of Oklahoma City, and that's where we find KWTV's Doug Warner this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DOUG WARNER, KWTV REPORTER (on camera): We're here in the eastern part of Oklahoma County, which is really still in the city limits of Oklahoma City. Firefighters back at it again. Even before sun-up usually this threat is something we've been seeing after the noon hour, but yet again out here as early as 4:00 a.m. Central Time.

You can see behind me here, the flames are still brewing. This is a barn that became fully engulfed directly behind a homeowner. And the homeowner had no idea his house was even on fire. He said it was fire crews who have been patrolling these streets, much like police officers would normally patrol a metro. One came up, knocked on his door, and said, hey, you might want to get out of this house. They quickly got water on it, yet this fire again has spread to some dry grass. Just about everything out here is dry. Lack of precipitation. We've had no rain basically other than the trace of snow we received about a week or so ago. So a couple of more thousand acres burned yesterday, scorched in this very area. We had a burn about mile-and-a-half while and a quarter-of-a-mile long. So firefighters once again on the front lines of this with no rain in sight, possibly seeing another repeat of what we had yesterday, and what we had on Wednesday and what we had on Tuesday as well.

I'm Doug Warner in Oklahoma City for KWTV.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: It is a potential disaster in the making on the West Coast as well. We've been watching a series of storms on the West Coast all week. Another one is expected today. And now one of the worries is the rivers, already at a seven-year high. We're watching north of San Francisco, along the Napa River. Jen Rogers is in Napa.

How are they preparing for this, Jen?

JEN ROGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, so far, residents here seem to be taking this all in stride. Right now, it did start raining earlier yesterday evening. Right now, we are getting a much deserved break, though.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROGERS (voice-over): The drumbeat of driving rain was replaced by the sound of scraping shovels, as Napa, California residents took advantage of a break between storms to prepare for the next wave of wet weather bearing down on the West Coast. So far, widespread flooding, power outages and mudslides have been largely avoided, but with storm after storm after storm still stacked up in the Pacific, residents know there's plenty more to come.

PETER ROSS, NAPA RESIDENT: It doesn't look good, but hopefully, maybe if it doesn't come at once, we can make it.

ROGERS: Peter Ross was one of those helping fight back the threat of fast-rising water. It's a chore that area residents have performed many times before. Since 1969, flooding has caused more than $500,000 in property damage alone. The last major floods in this area were in 1997. There have been a few close calls since, and many residents are taking no chances this year.

JOHN HEMINGERS, NAPA RESIDENT: Comes in really quick. Don't have much of a chance to really do any protection unless you do preventive maintenance right now, and that's what we're doing.

ROGERS: The Napa River is in the middle of a more than a $200 million flood-control project, but it's not scheduled for completion until 2011. A start, but certainly not a solution for this winter season.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROGERS: Now, we are expecting rain for a good part of the day, and people keeping a very close eye on this river right here -- Carol.

COSTELLO: I'm just wondering how it will affect the economy there, namely the wine industry -- Jen.

ROGERS: Of course, that is a very big part of the economy out here. Fortunately, the grapes right now on dormant. The vines basically have no leaves on them, so they're not affected by all of this water. The big problem, though, for the vines can be soil erosion, and that can happen more if the water is fast-moving by the vines. But most people I've talked to say it's not going to be a huge problem, at least if it doesn't come all at once.

COSTELLO: Jen Rogers. Jen, thank you for reporting live from Napa, California this morning.

(WEATHER REPORT)

O'BRIEN: An Iraqi baby with a life-threatening condition coming to America as we speak. Baby Noor is leaving Iraq today, and after a layover in Kuwait will head to Atlanta and surgery at Children's Hospital there. As we've been telling you, baby Noor has spina bifida.

Our Jennifer Eccleston has been following things from Baghdad for us.

Jennifer, bring us up to date.

JENNIFER ECCLESTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Miles. Well, she's actually taking off. We're in the process of leaving that American military base as we speak. We are told by our cameraman who is on the ground filming this event that Baby Noor's family, her father and grandmother who are traveling with her waved goodbye, happy faces to those who were seeing them off, and the 3-month-old was a little bit upset, crying as the aircraft was noisy, and also so they had to fit special ear plugs for baby Noor because of the noise on that C-130 transport that will take her, as you mentioned, to Kuwait this day.

And then later on this evening, in the early hours of tomorrow morning, she will be on a commercial flight to Atlanta, where she'll undergo treatment for, as you mentioned, that spinal cord defect called spina bifida. Well, the 3-month-old will receive life-saving treatment at that Atlanta hospital completely free of charge -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right, Jennifer, why don't you backtrack for us. It's been kind of a lightning fast three weeks to get from the idea to wheels up. Why don't you back up and tell us what happened?

ECCLESTON Absolutely. Well, you know, her incredible story began just about three weeks ago, after a American military raid on her home in Abu Ghraib district, which is outside of Baghdad. Now, during that raid, her uncle was actually detained. They were looking for insurgents. He has been subsequently released, but shortly after that members -- other soldiers, members of the Georgia National Guard and the 10th Mountain Division, which is based out of upstate New York, entered her home for a follow-up search where they discovered the sick baby, and they were so moved by her state, Miles, that a mission began to get desperately needed medical attention, medical attention that just was simply unavailable in this country, and attention that would save her life. And some of the steps involved in getting her out of the country, was getting passports for the baby and her family, and also securing an American visa. The U.S. ambassador here in Iraq was personally petitioned by Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss to speed up the visa process that led to today's trip -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Jennifer Eccleston, thank you very much. Jennifer from Baghdad for us on the story of Baby Noor. And we'll follow that story for you all throughout the weekend, as it continues.

Now have you heard about the teen who wanted to go to Iraq to see what it was like firsthand? Farris Hassan, a 16-year-old -- there's a picture of him -- he just went. Dad and mom didn't know he was going. Hassan's family is originally from Iraq. His dad said he wasn't prepared for what he saw.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. REDHA HASSAN, TEENAGER'S FATHER: He didn't realize that on the ground, seeing the flesh and the blood being spilled, and limbs all over by suicide bombers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: That's a difficult picture for a person of any age. All is well, though. The young wanderer is due to arrive back in Ft. Lauderdale this weekend. We'll talk to the young man's mother coming up this hour -- Carol.

We are right now less than 41 hours from the start of a New Year. And New Yorkers and everybody else getting ready to party like it's 2006.

CNN's Allan Chernoff is live in Times Square.

Allan, are they ready: Of course, they're ready for the big party.

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You better believe it, Carol, because no one prepares for New Year's Eve like New York City. That's because no one parties on the big night like the Big Apple. And people are getting ready all over town.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHERNOFF (voice-over): All stylists on duty, 35 of them at the Paul Labreque Salon where New Year's Eve is serious business.

PAUL LABREQUE, PAUL LABREQUE SALON: More than half the fun is getting ready, getting your hair done, slipping into your beautiful outfit, because sometimes New Year's can really be disappointing. CHERNOFF: Instructors are practicing their steps at Manhattan dance as the lights go up for a big salsa tango party. In Times Square, the scaffolding, sound system, of course, the ball, are ready to welcome the new year.

MYR. MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK CITY: The biggest new year's eve party on the planet will be in full swing here in Times Square.

CHERNOFF (on camera): Some New Yorkers are planning for the big night by plotting their escape, getting as far away as possible from the Big Apple.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to a better party in Boston.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't like big crowds. I'd just soon as not be in Times Square on New Year's Eve.

CHERNOFF: New York businesses, though, can't wait to cash in. The Roxy deli will be delivering to revelers standing outside in Times Square.

JACOB BENMOHA, ROXY DELICATESSEN: We're sending people outside, taking the order, they're coming inside and they're giving them whatever they want.

CHERNOFF (on camera): Delivery?

BENMOHA: Yes, to the Square.

CHERNOFF (voice-over): The Blue Fin restaurant plans a special three-course menu, $150 a plate to dine at midnight.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People are spending a lot of money to come in and dine, so we want to make sure that everyone is taken care of and treated like royalty.

CHERNOFF: And merchants throughout town are selling a new view to the new year. Six bucks seems like a lot for these glasses.

SHARI GOLD, GRAND SLAM STORES: They buy them. They really buy them.

CHERNOFF (on camera): They don't care?

GOLD: No. They're tourists. They don't care! They're tourists.

CHERNOFF: Six dollars for these glasses?

ALEX THIE, NEWSSTAND OWNER: Yes.

CHERNOFF: That's pretty good profit.

THIE: Oh, yes, of course. People buy them. It's like fun, you know.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHERNOFF: Fun is what it's all about here in Times Square. That is, if you consider standing out in the cold, screaming at the top of your lungs with more than 500,000 people to be a good time -- Carol.

COSTELLO: And as I understand it, there is no place to go to the bathroom! You're just stuck there, because security is going to be so tight they're not going to let anybody outside of that perimeter, are they?

CHERNOFF: Carol, what they do here in Times Square, is that they divide the entire square into little pens. So people start arriving around 6:00, some people much earlier, but by 6:00 they're blocking off Times Square, and they create these pens. They fill them up, a few hundred people in each pen, and you're supposed to stay there waiting until the ball drops. There are some portable potties in the area, but you really have to hold it in on the big night. So don't drink too much when you're standing out here!

O'BRIEN: What a quandary! Don't drink too much?

COSTELLO: There's no alcohol allowed is there?

CHERNOFF: No, absolutely not. No alcohol out here.

O'BRIEN: Nobody is drinking in Times Square. That's right. No, Everybody is sober.

COSTELLO: They're searched, Miles.

CHERNOFF: Miles, it sounds like you may have known how to sneak some in here?

O'BRIEN: Oh, no, no, no. I've just heard. I've heard that.

COSTELLO: I think we better move along now. Thank you, Allan Chernoff.

O'BRIEN: Allan, actually I think you got a good spot. You might as well just stay right there.

CHERNOFF: If I can hold it in for just two days, right?

O'BRIEN: Yes!

All right, thank you, Allan Chernoff.

COSTELLO: Aww man.

You can usher in 2006 with CNN's Anderson Cooper. He'll be live in Times Square for the countdown to 2006 as well with music from the Godfather of Soul, James Brown, John Mayer, Harry Connick Jr. and a whole lot more, plus special messages from American troops overseas. So tune in beginning at 11:00 p.m. Eastern tomorrow night to ring out the old and ring in the new with CNN.

O'BRIEN: I think Anderson gets a Johnny on the spot, you know, just with a star on it.

Coming up, our series on some of New Year's newsmakers. We call them the Five in '05. Today the man who became the symbol of relief failures after Hurricane Katrina. Some would call him a scapegoat: ex-FEMA chief Mike Brown.

COSTELLO: Plus, more on the wildfires in Texas and Oklahoma. New fires are erupting as the situation is expected to get worse. We'll get a live update for you on the battle to contain the flames. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Those raging wildfires continue all throughout Texas and Oklahoma this morning, a bit of a lull this morning before the wind kicks up, but the concern is that the wind will, once again, continue to cause difficulties for firefighters today and, for that matter, all throughout the New Year weekend. Joining us now from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma is the fire chief, Keith Bryant, with the Oklahoma City Fire Department.

Chief, good to have you with us. Just bring us up-to-date, how are things going this morning for you and your firefighters?

CHIEF KEITH BRYANT, OKLAHOMA CITY FIRE DEPT.: Well, right now, we're doing well with this scene that we've been monitoring since yesterday. We have a few remaining smoldering hotspots, but we continue to monitor those and this fire scene remains under control at this point.

O'BRIEN: We've been hearing time and again, and the big frustration has been one fire gets doused and a hot ember gets blown into another location and another fire starts. Are you running into that?

BRYANT: Well, I believe so. Again, yesterday, these were two separate fires, and one about a mile from the other. So that could of been part of the problem or they could of had a different ignition source, but certainly the winds, the way they are, they can carry the embers several feet, or even miles downwind and start another fire.

O'BRIEN: Bring us up to date. How much damage has been caused in your jurisdiction there?

BRYANT: Well, yesterday, these fires we're estimating affecting about 1,600 acres. This is over three separate areas. And that we've had, of course, numerous fires in other parts of the state, and some just right outside our community here, so it's been quite extensive over the past few days.

O'BRIEN: I suspect there are a lot of homes you're concerned about through all of this?

BRYANT: Well, it's been our primary concern. Again, with the way the fire has moved, you want to concentrate all your resources on protecting the residential structures and saving that property, and then do your best to try to get ahead of the fire and keep it from spreading further downwind.

O'BRIEN: It's a difficult thing to do, and I know it's got to be rather fatiguing. Do you have enough manpower right now? Are your men and women getting exhausted?

BRYANT: Well, you know, they've been through a lot over the past few days, but they're doing really well. They're a determined group of folks and do a great job. And again, our firefighters that have been involved in these past couple of days are hearing about another 30 minutes or so will get relieved by the shift coming on, so they'll get a little break, but we're doing a good job of rotating our personnel.

Plus, we're getting tremendous help from the neighboring communities, as well as other agencies here locally and throughout the state. So we've got plenty of support, and we're holding up pretty well under the conditions.

O'BRIEN: So you don't need any outside help, you think? You pretty much are taken care of there with yourself and mutual aid from adjoining jurisdictions?

BRYANT: At this time so far. And again, we've also had some great assistance from the Army National Guard here locally with their helicopters in dropping water for us. Our city, county and state emergency-management offices are helping us with the various resources that help us. And of course the Red Cross is doing a good job of supporting our firefighters, as well as any displaced residents.

O'BRIEN: What you really need of course is a little bit of rain. What you have ahead of you is a New Year's weekend, and every now and then, people like to light off a firework or two. I know that's not a good idea this go-round is it, in that part of the world?

BRYANT: No, the governor, Brad Henry, has issued a state statewide burn band now for several weeks. And I think they've added fireworks to that burn ban. So hopefully we'll get people to not use those during this time of high-fire danger, and that they'll be aware that -- of the dangers involved there, so hopefully we'll keep those down.

O'BRIEN: Chief Keith Bryant, Oklahoma City Fire Department, thanks very much. We wish you good luck as you continue fighting those fires there and hope it's all over before too long.

BRYANT: Appreciate it. Thank you very much.

O'BRIEN: Carol?

COSTELLO: Coming up, we're "Minding Your Business." Who were Wall Street's biggest winners in 2005? That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MARKET REPORT) COSTELLO: Coming up, our special look back at the year's top newsmakers, five in '05. Today it's the man who became the symbol of everything that went wrong after Hurricane Katrina.

Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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