<a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CALIFORNIA_WILDFIRES?SITE=MTBIL&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT">Calif. wildfires force mass evacuations</a><br />n<br />n<blockquote>As the fires spread, most out of control, smaller blazes were merging into larger, more fearsome ones. Evacuations were being announced in one community after another as firefighters found themselves overwhelmed by gale-force Santa Ana winds, some gusting to 70 mph.</blockquote><br />n<br />nSeventy mph winds, dry grass and brush, and fire. Perfect prescription for the fires to run uncontrolled and for people to run for their lives. I've fought enough fires to know that there is not much the firefighters can do in these conditions except to get out of the way and make sure people are out of the way.<br />n<br />nI've seen some fires run in 30-40 mph winds and the death and destruction that causes is unbelievable, I can't imagine 70 mph winds. What a wreck.<br />n<br />n<strong>Let's drink to the spirit of gallantry and courage that made a strange Heaven out of unbelievable Hell</strong>