500,000 Flee Southern California Fires

More than 500,000 people fled ahead of wildfires that had charred more than 420 square miles of Southern California by Tuesday.

Officials said the fire burning from Los Angeles south to the Mexican border had killed one man and injured 37 others, including 17 firefighters, the Los Angeles Times reported. At least 892 buildings were destroyed since the fires began Sunday, the report said.

Numerically, the most severe damage was in northern San Diego County, where 500 homes were destroyed, 250 were damaged and 100 commercial buildings were destroyed, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency Monday in seven counties and redeployed California National Guard members from border patrol duties to back up firefighters.

U.S. President George Bush also declared an emergency for the seven-county region early Tuesday, which will expedite federal disaster relief, the newspaper said.