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Two S.D. Fires Merge; 223,000 Acres Burned

Posted on: Wednesday, 24 October 2007, 12:00 CDT

Fire officials early Wednesday updated the status of wildfires burning across a wide swath of Southern California.

The Witch fire and Poomacha fire in northern San Diego County merged into an uncontained complex of fires covering 223,000 acres. The complex threatened the Palomar Mountain area and communities including Vista, Valley Center and Julian.

The Harris fire burning between the city of San Diego and the border reached 73,000 acres and was 10 percent contained. Commanders say it will be Nov. 4 before the blaze is fully contained. Around 1,500 homes remain threatened, officials said.

The Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base is the site of two new fires burning in relatively uninhabited training areas in the hills. Electricity transmission lines near the San Onofre nuclear power plant were threatened and Interstate 5 was temporarily closed.

The Magic fire and the Buckweed fire burning near the Magic Mountain amusement park north of Los Angeles were almost fully contained. Evacuations were being lifted.

Numerous homes remain threatened near Lake Arrowhead where the Slide and Grass Valley fires remained out of control. About 300 homes have been lost and as many as 10,000 were considered threatened.

Source: United Press International

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