Former US Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) director Michael Brown has placed blame on everyone from New Orleans’ mayor to Louisiana’s governor for the chaos following Hurricane Katrina. Now, he’s including himself.

Calming winds have helped firefighters battle a 4,000-acre wildfire that prompted a voluntary evacuation of about 200 ridge-top homes.

NEW Orleans awaited the reopening of its airport and waterfront yesterday for the first time since Hurricane Katrina hit, as the coroner planned autopsies on at least 44 patients found dead at a flooded hospital.

THE new acting director of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) yesterday pledged to intensify efforts to find more permanent housing for the tens of thousands of Hurricane Katrina survivors in shelters.

The new acting director of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency today pledged to intensify efforts to find more permanent housing for the tens of thousands of Hurricane Katrina survivors now in shelters.

MICHAEL BROWN, director of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has been removed from his role managing relief efforts for the victims of Hurricane Katrina and is returning to Washington.

Michael Brown, director of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency, is being removed from his role managing relief efforts for the victims of Hurricane Katrina and is returning to Washington.

US president George Bush has declared a disaster in Puerto Rico following floods and landslides that forced hundreds from their homes and caused damage running into millions of dollars.