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American Morning

In California, Evacuees Home After Wildfires

Aired August 30, 2001 - 09:21   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Hundreds of people who were evacuated from their homes because of a raging wildfire in California are now back home. However, the Weaverville fire destroyed several houses, leaving some families homeless.

Our Eric Horng is live in the former mining town of Weaverville. He has the latest on the fire.

Eric -- hello.

ERIC HORNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, good morning. Most of the residents of Weaverville are waking up in their own beds this morning as about 1,000 firefighters and other personnel continue to battle this blaze. They have about 65 percent containment, hoping for another day of calm winds.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HORNG (voice-over): As firefighters continued to put out hot spots, residents of Weaverville took stock of those perilous hours when their town nearly succumbed to a fiery siege. The blaze forced the evacuation of two-thirds of this former mining town's 3,500 residents. Late Wednesday, they were all allowed to return home.

Frank Dye said he was surprised to find his house still standing.

FRANK DYE, WEAVERVILLE RESIDENT: We were very relieved. You can see on the other side of the house, the trees are all burned about 100 yards from the house. I can't say enough about all the help of the firefighters. I am very thankful.

HORNG: But others weren't so lucky. The fire destroyed at least nine homes and three RVs, reducing household items to ash, leaving stunned residents to sift through rubble. Firefighters, however, were able to save an estimated 200 homes, battling an erratic, fast-moving fire fueled by high winds, triple-digit temperatures, and extremely dry conditions.

DAVID SHEW, FIREFIGHTER: Fuel moisture levels, the moisture inside the plants and the fuels that we have right now, are at their lowest levels that we have ever recorded since we began keeping track.

HORNG: Though the threat of a flare-up remained, there were signs in Weaverville of a return to normalcy, as well as a recognition of how close this town came to disaster.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

The sun is starting to come up at this hour. Here in Weaverville, temperatures today are expected in mid-'90s, as opposed to the triple-digit temperatures we've seen over the last few days. That should bode well for firefighters as they continue to try to battle this blaze.

Daryn, back to you.

KAGAN: Eric Horng, in Weaverville, thank you.

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