SAN MARCOS, Calif. (AP) â?? One of the nine fires burning
in San Diego County suddenly flared Thursday afternoon and burned close
to homes as new winds arrived.
The flare-up near the state
university city of San Marcos occurred after a half-day lull in winds
that firefighters had seized as an opportunity to make progress against
flames that have scorched thousands of acres.
State fire Capt. Kendal Bortisser said the fire was running east along hillsides behind California State
University San Marcos.
The
flare-up appeared to involve a change in wind direction. On previous
days there was offshore flow â?? generally from the northeast. But
Thursday afternoon, the National Weather Service reported winds out of
the northwest.
Fires began erupting Tuesday amid high heat,
extremely low humidity and gusty Santa Ana winds. By Wednesday, nine
fires were burning.
Asked about the possibility of arson, county
Sheriff Bill Gore said earlier Thursday that he wouldn’t prejudge the
investigations. He noted that sparks from vehicles can easily ignite
brush in such dry conditions.
Emergency officials said a
significant number of firefighting aircraft had become available,
including four air tankers and 22 military helicopters.
Ten of the
military helicopters were being used to battle a blaze that grew to
9.37 square miles on the Marine Corps’ Camp Pendleton. Despite its
growth, the fire was 20 percent contained and was no longer considered a
threat to communities.
Twelve other military helicopters were
available to the county, where the biggest concern was a
1.25-square-mile blaze at the city of San Marcos. That fire was 5
percent contained and thousands of people remained evacuated, but
officials told a news conference they were beginning to assess
repopulating areas.
The wildfires drove tens of thousands from
their homes and shut down schools and amusement parks, including
Legoland. The amusement park reopened Thursday.
Firefighters
contended with temperatures approaching 100 degrees and gusty winds as
they tried to contain flames fueled by brush and trees left brittle by
drought.
Extremely high temperatures were occurring again
Thursday, ranging in the high 90s to 100 in the northwestern area of the
county where the fires burned.
The heat was so intense that
records continued to be broken in Southern California and horse racing
was canceled at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, east of Los Angeles.
Officials
said a Carlsbad-area blaze was 60 percent contained and had burned 400
acres. The wildfire destroyed an 18-unit condominium complex and four
residences, Carlsbad Mayor Matt Hall said.
Some evacuation orders were being lifted in Carlsbad, but a major power outage and hotspots were still a
concern.
Efforts
were focusing on San Marcos, where hundreds of new evacuation orders
were issued early Thursday. More than 20,000 evacuation notices were
sent to residents Wednesday, and a California State University campus
with nearly 10,000 students in the middle of final exams was shut down.
Graduation ceremonies were canceled.
Tuzo Jerger was one of
thousands told to evacuate because of the Carlsbad fire. The 66-year-old
real estate broker packed files, a surfboard, golf clubs, clothes and
photos and sought solace at a friend’s hilltop house in nearby San
Marcos, only to see a wildfire break out there and force thousands from
their homes.
"I thought, ‘Oh my God, it’s going to come this
way,’" Jerger said at a San Marcos restaurant where he found relief in a
slice of pizza.
The blaze in the coastal city of Carlsbad, about 30 miles north of San Diego, was the most destructive of
the fires so far.
Many schools across the county were closed Thursday. Officials expected some wouldn’t reopen until next
week.
Gov.
Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for San Diego County, which
would free up special resources and funding for the firefight, and state
fire officials were creating a central command center for the blazes.
Drought
conditions have made fire danger extremely high throughout much of
California. Officials have encouraged residents in fire-prone areas to
prepare evacuation plans and clear brush from near their homes.
Carlsbad’s
fire chief said the blazes were unprecedented in his 27-year
firefighting career because they are so early in the year.
"This
is May, this is unbelievable. This is something we should see in
October," Chief Michael Davis said. "I haven’t seen it this hot, this
dry, this long in May."
____
Watson reported from San Diego.