Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Saturday
Santa Ana Winds Blow Wildfire Towards Populated L.A. Suburbs
Aired October 25, 2003 - 12:16 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.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: So called "devil winds" are spreading the flames of some big wildfires in southern California and it may be days before the situation gets any better. We get the latest now, from CNN's Miguel Marquez in Rancho Cucamonga.
So, Miguel I read there are at least 1,000 people who evacuated their homes because they were afraid they might get caught in the wildfires.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is a mix of mandatory and voluntary evacuations out here, about 1,000 people, that first night were mandatorily evacuated. There's been voluntary evacuations since then, and we -- we're fairly sure that the number is far above 1,000 residents out of their homes, right now, but it's hard to tell how many because this is affecting such a wide area of the land around here.
I'll just point out what's going on behind us, right now. This is actually a burnout where firefighters are trying to burn out a lot of the undergrowth and brush in this immediate area. We were up on a hill, a short time ago. In fact, Dave Lake, if you could maybe pan over to your left, here quickly. You can see that this stuff is coming right up on top of us. Firefighters are up there watching what's going on. They had bulldozers in here digging line about 15, 20 feet across, literally right behind a neighborhood, here in Rancho Cucamonga.
The other thing you're seeing -- those flames are now coming almost directly at us. You're seeing the wind, those Santa Ana winds that you were talking about, those "devil winds" fighting for control against the seabreeze blowing in from the West. Smoke is becoming incredibly heavy right now. The Santa Ana winds are starting to change directions, in fact, if you can widen out a bit, you can see that flames are actually going in two different directions at the same time, which means the winds are fighting for control. Once they start blowing toward the South-Southeast or South-Southwest, that's where Rancho Cucamonga and a lot of these homes are going to be in trouble and that's why firefighters are now trying to get on top of this thing, burning out as much as possible before the fire get to the homes.
The problem that they say they have is that spot fires can spot between a mile to two miles, so anything burning up in the mountains from a mile to two miles will be down in the neighborhood, which is literally right behind where we're standing, right now. I could throw a stone and hit them. We have some new numbers for you, firefighters saying that there's seven residences have been destroyed, there have been ten injuries, most of those firefighters and most of those very minor. There are over 2,200 firefighters on this scene, right now.
The heat is starting to get intense and the wind has really picking up. In fact, it's actually quite incredible.
2,200 firefighters, plus. Tomorrow this will go to a type one incident, which means that it will be a very high dollar, a very high priority, national -- national...
KOPPEL: OK, we just lost our picture there, but what dramatic pictures to see, though live. You couldn't tell if it was day or night. I think we have Miguel back.
Miguel, it was incredible to see, to look at that picture there, because it's, what? 9:15 in the morning there, and you would think it was midnight.
MARQUEZ: Andrea, I can tell you it was a sunny day when we left Hollywood, this morning, and now it is an absolute firestorm. And, keep in mind though, this is a backfire or a burnout operation that firefighters conducted to burn out a lot of this vegetation prior to the brunt of the real fire actually getting here, but can I tell you, it's an absolute firestorm. It's...
KOPPEL: Miguel, I can't imagine that's safe where you are.
Oh, my God.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Watch it! Watch your cameras.
MARQUEZ: That's the fire -- the fire coming at us right now, fire and flame and dust. Dave, can you get -- come around the side here. Fire and flame and dust coming around the side of us, right now.
KOPPEL: Miguel, I think you're going above and beyond, right now. I think it's time for you guys to get out of there.
MARQUEZ: Firefighters are now telling us that (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
KOPPEL: I recognize it's hard for all of to us hear Miguel. We are going to keep you updated on his progress, and obviously the safety of our crew, as well as, what's happening there with those unbelievable pictures of the devil winds, even though it's a backfire meant to deal with the devil winds that are burning up in Southern California.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Suburbs>
Aired October 25, 2003 - 12:16 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: So called "devil winds" are spreading the flames of some big wildfires in southern California and it may be days before the situation gets any better. We get the latest now, from CNN's Miguel Marquez in Rancho Cucamonga.
So, Miguel I read there are at least 1,000 people who evacuated their homes because they were afraid they might get caught in the wildfires.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is a mix of mandatory and voluntary evacuations out here, about 1,000 people, that first night were mandatorily evacuated. There's been voluntary evacuations since then, and we -- we're fairly sure that the number is far above 1,000 residents out of their homes, right now, but it's hard to tell how many because this is affecting such a wide area of the land around here.
I'll just point out what's going on behind us, right now. This is actually a burnout where firefighters are trying to burn out a lot of the undergrowth and brush in this immediate area. We were up on a hill, a short time ago. In fact, Dave Lake, if you could maybe pan over to your left, here quickly. You can see that this stuff is coming right up on top of us. Firefighters are up there watching what's going on. They had bulldozers in here digging line about 15, 20 feet across, literally right behind a neighborhood, here in Rancho Cucamonga.
The other thing you're seeing -- those flames are now coming almost directly at us. You're seeing the wind, those Santa Ana winds that you were talking about, those "devil winds" fighting for control against the seabreeze blowing in from the West. Smoke is becoming incredibly heavy right now. The Santa Ana winds are starting to change directions, in fact, if you can widen out a bit, you can see that flames are actually going in two different directions at the same time, which means the winds are fighting for control. Once they start blowing toward the South-Southeast or South-Southwest, that's where Rancho Cucamonga and a lot of these homes are going to be in trouble and that's why firefighters are now trying to get on top of this thing, burning out as much as possible before the fire get to the homes.
The problem that they say they have is that spot fires can spot between a mile to two miles, so anything burning up in the mountains from a mile to two miles will be down in the neighborhood, which is literally right behind where we're standing, right now. I could throw a stone and hit them. We have some new numbers for you, firefighters saying that there's seven residences have been destroyed, there have been ten injuries, most of those firefighters and most of those very minor. There are over 2,200 firefighters on this scene, right now.
The heat is starting to get intense and the wind has really picking up. In fact, it's actually quite incredible.
2,200 firefighters, plus. Tomorrow this will go to a type one incident, which means that it will be a very high dollar, a very high priority, national -- national...
KOPPEL: OK, we just lost our picture there, but what dramatic pictures to see, though live. You couldn't tell if it was day or night. I think we have Miguel back.
Miguel, it was incredible to see, to look at that picture there, because it's, what? 9:15 in the morning there, and you would think it was midnight.
MARQUEZ: Andrea, I can tell you it was a sunny day when we left Hollywood, this morning, and now it is an absolute firestorm. And, keep in mind though, this is a backfire or a burnout operation that firefighters conducted to burn out a lot of this vegetation prior to the brunt of the real fire actually getting here, but can I tell you, it's an absolute firestorm. It's...
KOPPEL: Miguel, I can't imagine that's safe where you are.
Oh, my God.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Watch it! Watch your cameras.
MARQUEZ: That's the fire -- the fire coming at us right now, fire and flame and dust. Dave, can you get -- come around the side here. Fire and flame and dust coming around the side of us, right now.
KOPPEL: Miguel, I think you're going above and beyond, right now. I think it's time for you guys to get out of there.
MARQUEZ: Firefighters are now telling us that (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
KOPPEL: I recognize it's hard for all of to us hear Miguel. We are going to keep you updated on his progress, and obviously the safety of our crew, as well as, what's happening there with those unbelievable pictures of the devil winds, even though it's a backfire meant to deal with the devil winds that are burning up in Southern California.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Suburbs>
