Calmer winds aid California firefighters

Firefighters battling wildfires that have destroyed hundreds of homes in Southern California were today aided by calmer winds.

Thousands of residents have fled the fires which have blanketed much of the region with choking smoke.

There was "devastation I've never seen before," said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

The fires blackened more than 34 square miles since Thursday in parts of Los Angeles County, Riverside and Orange counties to the east, and Santa Barbara County to the northwest.

More than 800 homes and apartments had been destroyed.

No deaths were reported, but police brought trained dogs today to search the rubble of a caravan park where some 500 homes were destroyed.

They were focusing on caravans where cars were still parked in front.

Crews were also making steady progress against flames that tore through the millionaires' playground of Montecito.

Celebrities such as talk-show queen Oprah Winfrey and Hollywood actors Michael Douglas, Jeff Bridges and Rob Lowe all own property in the area.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency in Montecito and Santa Barbara.

Even areas far away from the flames were affected as poor air quality forced many people to stay indoors. Organisers cancelled a marathon in Pasadena in which 8,000 runners had planned to participate.

Today's easing of the fierce dry Santa Ana wind allowed firefighters to set backfires in efforts to block the main fires from advancing into hillside districts.

The most threatening blaze had charred more than 16 square miles of Orange and Riverside counties since erupting yesterday.

By midday today local time, multi-million dollar homes were being threatened in Diamond Bar in Los Angeles County as the fire pushed north.

Earlier, the wind pushed flames dangerously close to a church and adjacent caravan park in the Olinda Village area north of Yorba Linda, but firefighters were able to beat it back and only one mobile home was lost.

Billy Bagsby, a prison inmate firefighter with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said the flames suddenly shifted direction around 2am.

"It was like the church was protecting itself," Mr Bagsby said.

Six firefighters from various agencies were injured in the blaze.

The mayor and Governor Schwarzenegger toured the Oakridge Mobile Home Park in the Sylmar area, which lost 500 residences when flames blasted by 70mph wind overwhelmed firefighters yesterday. The park was home to many elderly residents.

"What you see is a devastation I've never seen before," said Mr Villaraigosa, promising to do all he can to help residents. "We're going to rebuild, make no mistake about it."

Shaking hands with dirty firefighters and some of those who had lost their homes, Mr Schwarzenegger later said he was making it a point to visit every place in California hit hard by fire.

"Wherever there's a fire, I'll be there," he said.

Fire officials estimated that at the peak of the Sylmar fire, 10,000 people were ordered to evacuate.

However, many evacuation orders were lifted last night, Fire Department spokesman Ron Haralson said. Five looting arrests were reported.