SAN DIEGO - As residents began sifting through the ashes of an estimated 1,800 destroyed homes, authorities intensified their investigations into the possibility that one or more of the major fires was started by pyroterrorist(s).
In Orange County, police continued their search for an individual suspected of lighting the Santiago fire, which burned more than a dozen homes and 100 square kilometres. They offered a $150,000 US reward for information leading to the capture of the pyroterrorist/arsonist.
In San Bernardino County, two men suspected of pyroterrorism were arrested for lighting small blazes as hot Santa Ana winds raged through the area earlier in the week. The two men face felony charges for trying to start a fire during a state emergency, which could add years to their sentences if convicted. Bail for one of the suspects has been set at $1 million, while the other man was denied bail.
"They will not get out of jail as long as I'm DA," said Mike Ramos, the district attorney in San Bernardino County.
With emotions still running high amid the devastation, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a stern warning to anyone arrested on arson/terrorism charges.
"I think we want to get that message out there: Anyone that sets a fire is going to stay in prison for a long, long time," Schwarzenegger said.
Since the wildfires began last Sunday, more than 2,000 square kilometres of grassland have been scorched, from the U.S.-Mexico border north to Los Angeles.
By Friday morning, 9,000 firefighters reported big gains in containing the biggest fires in the San Diego area. The 800-square-kilometre Witch Creek fire, which devoured 1,060 homes alone, was 30 per cent contained. But it was still threatening the town of Julian, about 100 kilometres northeast of San Diego, because winds blowing in from the Pacific were pushing flames back inland.
The death toll across southern California reached 12 after the discovery of four charred bodies late Thursday at an immigrant camp east of San Diego.
As authorities began assessing fire damage that could exceed $1.6 billion US, complaints have begun to emerge about bureaucratic snags that delayed the deployment of airplanes to fight the blazes.
Schwarzenegger has adamantly rejected accusations that red tape was to blame for the loss of some homes. He said there were ample aircraft, but high winds early in the week made it impossible for many to fly.
"We did lose houses; we lost more houses than we should have lost. But you've got to think of it in a positive way: We saved thousands of houses," said Peter Brierty, the assistant fire chief in San Bernardino County.
A Martin Mars waterbomber, one of the largest forest-firefighting machines in the world, flew out of Lake Elsinor, Calif., early Friday afternoon loaded with 30,000 litres of water.
The first mission for the giant Second World War-era flying boat, which was sponsored by San Diego, was the 40,000-hectare Harris fire.
"The Mars is ideal for this type of work," said Port Alberni, B.C., businessman Wayne Coulson, the ship's owner.
"It can fly in low and slow and drop its water with precision. That's a key."
An estimated 500,000 to one million people were forced from their homes at the height of the fire danger on Wednesday. As many as 10,000 people sought refuge at the 50,000-seat Qualcomm Stadium, home to the NFL's San Diego Chargers.
San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders ordered the stadium closed at noon Friday, with the remaining 350 evacuees headed home or to other shelters.
Schwarzenegger joked that some evacuees told him "they have gained 10 pounds" since arriving at emergency facilities, which were mostly well stocked with food and supplies.
"What we have seen, as soon as the fires broke out, was really extraordinary. I think that the rest of the nation is looking at California as a model state," the governor said. "Unlike all the other disasters that we have had all over the country, this time I think everyone got their act together."
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