Bush declares emergency for fires in N. California; weather cooperates
Firefighters aren't close to containing numerous blazes around Big Sur and elsewhere that have charred more than 209,000 acres and destroyed 20 homes. Seven counties will get federal relief under the declaration.
President Bush today declared a state of emergency in Northern California, where firefighters remained far from containing the Big Sur fires and scores of others but said they have been helped by weather that has kept the blazes from spreading at a significant rate.
"You know our lives are ruled by the weather and, thankfully, we are predicting very light winds and we have a thick marine layer," said Tina Rose, spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.
The emergency declaration brings with it both equipment and financial relief from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the counties of Butte, Mendocino, Monterey, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta and Trinity.
"Let me thank the President for the Federal disaster declaration," Sen. Dianne Feinstein said in a statement. "This fire season has started with a vengeance. Lightning has ignited blazes up and down the state, stretching our resources to the limit."
Still, Frank McCarton, chief deputy director in the Governor's Office of Emergency Services, said the state will need additional money to pay for the high cost of fighting the blaze.
"I will tell you, we need more help," McCarton said during an afternoon conference call with fire officials and reporters.
Triggered by fierce lightning storms last weekend, blazes have charred more than 209,740 acres and destroyed at least 20 homes -- 16 of them just over the mountains along Big Sur's legendary 70-mile coastline.
More than 1,200 fires have burned in the state from Nevada to the Pacific Ocean strapping resources in Northern California.
Evacuation orders remain in effect in parts of Butte, Shasta and Trinity counties.
So far, no one has been killed.
One of the few new trouble spots arose early this morning when a blaze that has burned for a week jumped a fire line south of the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center monastery. Firefighters were able to contain the burn after it consumed 10 acres, Rose said.
The remote Zen enclave on Big Sur's forested backside has been threatened by wildfires on three sides. Buddhist monks there have prepared to fight the fire, if necessary.
Times staff writers Eric Bailey and Steve Chawkins contributed to this report.
Garrett.therolf@latimes.com
