California Wildfires and 'the Katrina Factor'

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Fires are raging tonight in San Diego and Riverside Counties, but the big one is about 10 miles long near Chatsworth on the line between LA and Ventura Counties. This afternoon the involved area jumped from 7000 to 17,000 acres, fanned by hot, dry Santa Ana winds. People in wheel chairs have been evacuated from Cerebral Palsy Centers and homeowners are not on their roofs with garden hoses as they've been in the past, a change attributed to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the televised consequences of ignoring orders to move out and move out now. The fire's burning near the 118 Freeway, and there's concern that it could burn through the Simi Hills to the 101 near Calabasas. We talk to evacuated residents, reporters, firefighters and other officials.

Hoops' article on state of emergency in Ventura County

Calabasas fire alert

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney

Producer:

Frances Anderton