March to the Sea
Hot, dry Santa Ana winds off the Mojave Desert are pushing wildfires from inland hills toward the Pacific Ocean. Hundreds of which have already been consumed. The fires—there are more than 10 separate blazes across Southern California—may rack up billions of dollars in losses. Here, a branch of the Witch Creek fire approaches a home near Mount Woodson, northeast of San Diego.
Close Call
Many of the hardest-hit areas are also the wealthiest. Here a Los Angeles County firefighter pours water on smoldering trees, sparing a home in the Santa Monica Mountains overlooking Malibu, California.
Time to Go
As a fire crests hills north of Los Angeles, people in the Canyon Country neighborhood load their cars with as many of their possessions as they can fit. The rest was left in the home, to survive or not.
Desperate Measures
To keep fires out of the most densely populated areas, firefighters are resorting to novel techniques. Here, a sky crane helicopter sucks up water from the 9th hole at the TPC Valencia golf course in Valencia, California.
Smoke on the Water
Fire creeps over the ridge of the Santa Monica Mountains above Malibu, About 700 firefighters struggled to contain the fire, or at least to divert it from homes dotting the hills. About 1,500 people have been evacuated from the hills.
One of Hundreds Lost
The Witch Creek fire northeast of San Diego has already blackened more than 145,000 acres and destroyed 600 homes, including this house near Lake Ramona. As it moves toward the sea, this fire threatens the Del Mar Racetrack, which is being used as a shelter for fire refugees.
Drop In the Bucket
Soaking unburned ground to form a fire break is another technique to keep the fires away from homes and people. Fire crews tried that approach in Poway, an affluent enclave near San Diego.
Calling in the Cavalry
Overstretched fire departments in Southern California have been supplemented by firefighters from through the state and from neighboring states. This firefighter from the Northern California town of Tracy watches a fire line near Poway to make sure it does not shift toward homes.
Total Loss
Despite firefighters' best efforts, most fires remained out of control and extremely dangerous. More than 120,000 residents of San Diego County have left their homes for shelter elsewhere; some, like the owners of this house in Poway, will never return.
Fighting Back
In areas without roads, or without fire hydrants, aircraft are being used to fight fires. Here an aircraft drops fire retardant on brush ahead of a fire in the Stevenson Ranch area of Los Angeles County.
Calling in the Marines
Firefighters from Camp Pendelton, the Marine training base north of San Diego, work to douse a fire creeping up on a home in Rancho Santa Fe, California.
Going Down Fighting
A U.S. flag flies in the back yard of a Poway home threatened by the Witch Creek fire.
Echo of the Past
A wildfire four years ago consumed hundreds of homes in Lake Arrowhead, California; more than 100 burned again on Monday in the latest conflagration.
Forced Evacuations
A San Diego Police Department recruit goes door to door in one neighborhood telling the few remaining residents to leave under a mandatory evacuation decree. Many homes in this area burned in the Cedar Fire, four years ago this month.
River of Fire
Fire streams toward the Bonita section of San Diego on Tuesday. Residents of the area had quit their homes for shelter elsewhere, as had hundreds of thousands of other Southern Californians.
Shelter From the Firestorm
Thousands of evacuees congregated in Qualcomm Stadium, home of the NFL Chargers. Others overwhelmed hotels or drove north, seeking accommodation outside the fire zone.
A Grim Forecast
Fire officials said that some blazes, including this 12,500-acre brush fire near Agua Dulce in northern Los Angeles County, may take as long as five days just to contain. Once surrounded, more time will be needed to get the fires under control and finally extinguished.
Remains of the Day
In the meantime, many more homes are likely to be lost. A chimney and some metal objects are all that remain of this home overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Malibu.
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