California Fires Continue to Rage

The blazes outstripped the 2003 fires that many in San Diego County considered a once-in-a-lifetime event, and that caught officials and residents flatfooted. The resulting controversy brought calls for reform, but San Diego voters declined to fund improvements for the fire department, the smallest per capita for any large city in the country, said Steve Erie, a political scientist at the University of California at San Diego who is writing a book titled "Plundered Paradise."

"In terms of firefighting ability, we are woefully unprepared for major fires," he said. "We're much better at evacuation -- the reverse-911 calls," a system that automatically dials homes to order residents out.

Schwarzenegger and other officials emphasized cooperation among jurisdictions and agencies across the state and beyond, an improvement urged by a blue ribbon commission appointed after 2003.

But the fire chief in Orange County, a prosperous area wedged between San Diego and Los Angeles, complained vociferously that the pool of available assets was too small, especially in the week's frantic first 36 hours. Because no aircraft were available to attack a blaze near Irvine that arsonists apparently set, flames leapt a road and overtook a dozen firefighters who survived only by wrapping themselves in fireproof tents that they carry as a last resort.

"Yadda yadda yadda," said Fire Chief Chip Prather, dismissing the state's assurances. "All I know is, I had 12 firefighters deploy their shelters yesterday, and they shouldn't have had to do that."

Geis reported from Escondido.