SHOTLIST:

Chico, California - 13 June 2008

1. Wide of smoke rising in the distance

2. Mid of smoke

3. Road closed, smoke in distance, pan to traffic and fire trucks driving on highway

4. Mid of a sign reading (English) "Closed, All Roads To Paradise"

5. Wide of a church being used as a shelter for fire evacuees

6. board showing the (English) "Shelter Rules"

7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Brenda Morris, American Red Cross shelter manager:

"Right now we have about 150 people here at the shelter. We have people with some special needs, elderly people. Everybody in the community is doing really well, helping donate."

8. People at the check-in are of the shelter

9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Loretta Olesky, Paradise Resident:

"Oh, it's outrageous. It's something that we thought might happen one day, but we didn't think it was going to be here."

10. Tracking shot of fire trucks lined up to help in the firefighting effort

11. Prisoners brought in to help fight the fires walking in a line under police supervision

12. Various of prisoners walking in line

13. Mid of fire vehicle

14. Wide "Butte College" sign, where a firefighting command post has been set up

15. Fire fighter walking into temporary bathroom

16. Wide of tents set up for firefighters to sleep in

STORYLINE:

Firefighters on Friday were battling several wildfires across Northern California, with one wind-whipped blaze in Butte County destroying at least 20 homes and forcing thousands of residents to flee.

Authorities in Butte County closed all roads to Paradise, a town of about 30-thousand residents some 90 miles north of Sacramento, and ordered nine-thousand residents to leave their homes.

An evacuation shelter was set up in nearby Chico.

A woman, whose identity was not immediately released, suffered a heart attack during the evacuation and died, said Ruben Grijalva, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

It's the only fatality associated with Northern California fires this month.

The fire, which started on Wednesday, had grown to more than 20-thousand acres and threatened 4,600 structures, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Twenty homes were confirmed to be destroyed, but officials said that number likely could double once crews were able to better assess the damage.

More than 1,500 firefighters were trying to contain the blaze, which was only 16 percent contained by Friday morning.

Fed by strong, erratic winds on Thursday, the fire spread to the hills of the Butte College campus, where officials had set up an incident command centre, said Cal Fire spokesman Joshpae White.

Firefighters, however, needed to move quickly.

Winds from the southwest were expected to pick up in the afternoon, which could push the flames closer to Paradise, said White, who was one of the firefighters injured a day earlier.

In recent days, hot temperatures, steady winds and tinder-dry vegetation have fuelled a series of destructive blazes from Butte County to the San Francisco Bay area to the Los Padres National Forest.

But 900 firefighters in Santa Cruz County caught a break Friday as cooler temperatures and increased cloud cover helped them battled a wildfire that had destroyed at least 10 homes in the Bonny Doon community, according to Cal Fire.

It was 25 percent contained on Friday morning and had scorched 600 acres.

More than 1,500 residents have been told to evacuate their homes in the heavily forested hills about 10 miles northwest of Santa Cruz since the fire broke out Wednesday afternoon.

California State Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in Santa Cruz County early on Thursday to free up additional firefighting resources.

He declared one in Butte County late on Wednesday.

SHOTLIST:

1. Smoke plume rising from fire zone along ridge line

2. Fire and smoke

3. Close shot of fire

4. Wide shot of fire and smoke

6. Mid shot of fires

7. Firefighters dousing burned out area with water

8. Wide shot of horses in ranch compound near burned out area

9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Connie Collins, Resident:

"If you picture the world ending, this is what it looks like. It just come around the corner - smoke, flames - just fire department, everything. You're thinking, god I hope everybody gets their animals out, everybody gets themselves out. And it was just absolutely.... horrific."

10. Burned out area

11. Downed power lines

12. Worker on power line tower

13. Water dropping aircraft flying overhead

14. Fire fighters inspecting burn zone

15. SOUNDBITE: (English) Captain Vince Agapito, Firefighter:

"A lot of this fuel has not been burned for a long time. Drought puts a stress on the fuel which causes a lot of downed dead fuel. And so we have this mixture and it's creating a bunch of problems. In addition to that we have a nice, I shouldn't say nice, but we have an extremely hot, dry summer and when you have fuels and weather mixed like that if there's a fire then it really gets erratic and hot."

16. Burned out area

17. Brush fire

18. Burn zone

STORYLINE

Firefighters continued to battle patches of wildfire burning in rural areas 60 miles (96 kilometres) northeast of Los Angeles on Wednesday.

So far, the Crown Fire has burned across more than 10,000 acres (4,047 hectares) after erupting late on Tuesday and raging through the area during the night.

About 2,000 firefighters were battling the blaze that was about 25 per cent contained by Wednesday morning.

So far officials say the Crown Fire has destroyed a mobile home, an abandoned house and bridge.

Meanwhile, firefighters have gained the upper hand on two other large wildfires in the area, allowing weary crews to be transferred to the Crown Fire.

The area is thick with thousands of dead juniper and pine trees that were ravaged by six years of drought and an infestation of bark beetles.

Winds gusting up to 25 miles per hour (40 kilometres per hour) and temperatures in the high 90s degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) pushed flames past ranch homes between Acton and Palmdale California, about 60 miles (96.56 kilometres) north of downtown Los Angeles.

The hot, dry weather has helped spread a series of southern California fires in the past week.

Threatened communities have so far avoided the large-scale loss of homes that occurred during wildfires last fall (autumn), but officials warned that the fire season is young.

SHOTLIST:

1. Wide shot of helicopter dropping water on fire zone

2. Brush fire area

3. Wide shot of helicopter dropping water on fire zone

4. Wide shot of firefighters watching water drop

5. Close shot of firefighter

6. Water drop on fire zone

7. Wide shot of helicopter over fire zone

8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Captain Mark Whaling, Los Angeles County fire fighter:

"You have the air show, with the helicopters dropping water or retardant depending upon what's needed at that location. And then you have the hand crews. Hand crews at the top are going to work their way down. We've got hand crews at the bottom. They're going to work their way up and they're hopefully going to pinch it off."

9. Helicopter picking up water

10. Close shot of helicopter carrying water

12. Firefighters

13. Map, pullout to close shot of firefighters

14. Close shot of firefighters discussing firefighting operations

15. Firefighters

16. Fire truck pulling away

17. Wide shot of burned out area

18. Close shot of burnt tyre

19. Wide shot of burned out area

20. SOUNDBITE: (English) Captain Mark Whaling, Los Angeles County fire fighter:

"If that wind comes up it has the potential to blow fire embers down below where the crews are working and cause the fire to flare up again."

21. Close shot of water bucket connected to helicopter being filled in pond

22. Wide shot of helicopter hovering over pond

23. Helicopter flying away

24. Wide shot of homes near fire zone

25. Home near fire zone

26. Wide shot of helicopter dropping water over fire zone

STORYLINE:

Firefighters near Los Angeles used water-dropping helicopters to help beat back a stubborn wildfire burning 30 miles (48 km) north of the city.

Local fire officials say the foothill fire burning near the city of Santa Clarita is now approximately 39 per cent contained, after scorching more than five-thousand acres of parched brush land over the weekend.

More than 1,500 firefighters were battling the foothill fire, with three treated at hospital for minor injuries.

Fire crews were working along a mountain ridge on Monday morning to prevent a flare up along the front lines where the fire was halted.

They were working to save hundreds of homes threatened by the stubborn wildfire that broke out in tinder-dry brush and raced over hillsides and through canyons in northern Los Angeles County.

Although no structures have been lost, nearly 1,600 homes have been evacuated since the fire began on Saturday.

The fire was ignited when a hawk flew into a power line, was electrocuted and its flaming body fell into brush left dry by years of little rain.

The foothill fire was one of several burning across more than 40,000 acres of California from eastern San Diego County to Yosemite National Park.

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus035966

Cooler temperatures and higher humidity overnight helped thousands of firefighters battling an unruly Northern California wildfire, but officials worried that strong afternoon winds and hotter temperatures Wednesday could reignite portions of the blaze.

Firefighting officials said crews made progress with some help from light rain Tuesday, getting the fire less than a quarter contained. The blaze has charred 106 square miles, and isn't expected to be largely contained until at least Monday.

Much of the fire Wednesday morning was smoldering on the ground as firefighters positioned themselves around its perimeter in anticipation of possible flare-ups Wednesday afternoon while they continued to build containment lines aimed at corralling the blaze.

Fire spokesman Steve Kaufmann said the winds Wednesday afternoon would likely fuel the fire burning on the ground, spreading flames by carrying embers

"The last few days expect for yesterday, we would see little spot fires grow out of those ones because the winds would carry the embers, so we'll definitely have to see what today brings us," he said.

More than 3,000 firefighters are battling the smoky blaze.

The fire is burning about 110 miles north of San Francisco along rugged, parched terrain in Lake, Yolo and Colusa counties.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Since it started last Wednesday, more than 13,000 people were required or urged to leave their homes, vacation cabins and campsites.

Teams on Tuesday were able to build a buffer between the flames and some of the estimated 6,900 homes it threatens. Despite the fire's growth, no additional homes were consumed outside the two dozen already destroyed.

The fire is by far the largest of 11 burning in Northern California.

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus035966

Cooler temperatures and higher humidity overnight helped thousands of firefighters battling an unruly Northern California wildfire, but officials worried that strong afternoon winds and hotter temperatures Wednesday could reignite portions of the blaze.

Firefighting officials said crews made progress with some help from light rain Tuesday, getting the fire less than a quarter contained. The blaze has charred 106 square miles, and isn't expected to be largely contained until at least Monday.

Much of the fire Wednesday morning was smoldering on the ground as firefighters positioned themselves around its perimeter in anticipation of possible flare-ups Wednesday afternoon while they continued to build containment lines aimed at corralling the blaze.

Fire spokesman Steve Kaufmann said the winds Wednesday afternoon would likely fuel the fire burning on the ground, spreading flames by carrying embers

"The last few days expect for yesterday, we would see little spot fires grow out of those ones because the winds would carry the embers, so we'll definitely have to see what today brings us," he said.

More than 3,000 firefighters are battling the smoky blaze.

The fire is burning about 110 miles north of San Francisco along rugged, parched terrain in Lake, Yolo and Colusa counties.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Since it started last Wednesday, more than 13,000 people were required or urged to leave their homes, vacation cabins and campsites.

Teams on Tuesday were able to build a buffer between the flames and some of the estimated 6,900 homes it threatens. Despite the fire's growth, no additional homes were consumed outside the two dozen already destroyed.

The fire is by far the largest of 11 burning in Northern California.

AP TELEVISION

Clearlake, California – August 5, 2015

1. Various of fire trucks, smoldering trees, burnt earth

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Steve Kaufmann, captain, public information officer, Ventura County Fire Department:

++SOUNDBITE COVERED BY PREVIOUS SHOT++

"A lot of fire deep seeded that's just smoldering on the ground so what happens during the day, especially when the winds come up is those fires will start getting bigger and then we'll start seeing flames and the last few days expect for yesterday, we would see little spot fires grow out of those ones because the winds would carry the embers, so we'll definitely have to see what today brings us."

3 . Firefighters climbing hill

4 . SOUNDBITE (English) Steve Kaufmann, captain, public information officer, Ventura County Fire Department:

++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY COVERED BY PREVIOUS SHOT++

"We expect the temperatures to go up and we expect the humidity to decrease substantially and that should dry out some of our vegetation fuel beds so I expect to see a little bit of increase in activity today."

5. Various of fire trucks, firefighters

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Steve Kaufmann, captain, public information officer, Ventura County Fire Department:

++SOUNDBITE COVERED BY PREVIOUS SHOT++

"If we have another good day, I expect to see some (containment) numbers increase and I definitely expect to see some numbers increase if we're able to hold those containment lines with the winds that we're expecting today."

SHOTLIST:

1. Various of flames and smoke on hillside

2. Wide of heavy smoke and flames on hillside, zoom-in to firefighters' helicopter flying overhead

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Mark Savage, Fire Information Officer:

"The fire moved aggressively, even more so than even was expected and we've been dealing with some of that. But yesterday, particularly, was a lot of movement of the fire. It actually moved a mile (1.6 kilometres) north in 24 hours, which is well within our containment line, but we had to look at it and take a look and say then 'it is coming faster than we expected so let's put some things into action', it's bumped up our time lines and put us in what we would say is a more aggressive mode."

4. Various of flames on hillside

5. Various of firefighters cutting back excess brush as fire approaches

6. Zoom-out from signs to firefighters

7. Firefighters' truck arriving

8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Mark Savage, Fire Information Officer:

"We wished we had a better weather forecast, but we know that we are going to be challenged in the next few days in those areas, so we really need to get a bigger buffer for us, and that's the plan. But with the fire spotting, it can spot up to a half, to three-quarters of a mile (1.2 kilometres), embers are falling and igniting outside of, in some of our containment lines and some areas, we are able to pick it up with aircraft, but that certainly is a challenge for us as well and it's happening on all areas of the fire."

9. Helicopter dropping water on fire

10. Plane dropping fire retardant on fire

11. Flames and smoke

12. Plane dropping fire retardant

13. Various of homes destroyed by fire

14. Destroyed home with remnants of oven in background

15. Remnants of oven

16. Various of destroyed home

STORYLINE

Cooler weather on Sunday helped US fire crews attacking a two-week-old blaze that has destroyed 22 homes in the tourist town of Big Sur, at the northern end of California's Los Padres forest.

AP Television footage showed firefighters battling the flames from helicopters, planes and from the ground.

Fire Information Officer Mark Savage told AP Television how hard the fire crews have been working against the fire.

"The fire moved aggressively, even more so than even was expected and we've been dealing with some of that. But yesterday, particularly, was a lot of movement of the fire," he said.

"It's bumped up our time lines and put us in what we would say is a more aggressive mode," he added.

Savage explained that the days ahead would still present big challenges for his crews.

"We wished we had a better weather forecast, but we know that we are going to be challenged in the next few days in those areas, so we really need to get a bigger buffer for us, and that's the plan," he said.

Meanwhile, cooler weather gave a boost to crews battling an enormous wildfire on California's central coast that was threatening nearly 2,700 homes.

The four-day-old fire in the Los Padres National Forest near Santa Barbara, which had blackened about 13 square miles (34 square kilometres), spread slightly during the night but firefighting crews were able to keep up with it, a county spokeswoman.

As of Sunday morning, the fire in the area of the town of Goleta was 28 percent contained, the spokeswoman said.

And with lower wind and higher humidity forecast for Sunday, crews were optimistic they could get more acreage under control.

Wildfires have charred more than 800 square miles (2,000 square kilometres) of forest, brush and grass and have destroyed at least 69 homes throughout California, mainly in the northern part of the state, in the past two weeks.

One firefighter died of a heart attack.

According to state forestry officials, at one time there were more than 1,700 active fires, but about 1,400 had been contained, leaving more than 330 still out of control on Sunday morning.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who on Saturday visited a command post in Santa Barbara County, has ordered 400 National Guard troops trained to help fight the blazes.

He also urged lawmakers to adopt his budget plan for a 70 (m) million US dollar emergency surcharge on home and business insurance policies to buy more firefighting equipment.

Nearly 2,700 homes in Santa Barbara County remained under mandatory evacuation orders on Sunday and residents of 1,400 others were warned to be ready to flee.

The fire, fuelled by 15-foot (4.6-metre)-high, half-century-old chaparral, still had the potential to roll through a hilly area of ranches, housing tracts and orchards between the town of Goleta and Santa Barbara, keeping firefighters on their toes.

Investigators think the fire, which began on Tuesday, was human-caused.

SHOTLIST:

1. Pan of canyon

2. Fire trucks next to small smouldering fire

3. Close of untouched house pulls out to charred remains of neighbour's home

4. Pan from burned out car and truck to rest of burned out home

5. Close of cracked base in rubble

6. Pan right to left along burned out vehicle

7. Police tape across charred remains of home

8. Close of paper still smouldering widens out to burned out home with one wall still standing

9. Woman - Cindy Hochman walking through her house that narrowly survived fire walks outside where her deck is burned

(UPSOUND: "It's burned in the back of the house, it looks like a fireman - somebody grabbed a hose - the hose went that way, I don't know."

Another woman(name unknown) - "and they say that the heat pops the windows")

10. Close of burned outdoor cooking grill

(UPSOUND- "It's 20 years , but that didn't go either, I don't know how they did it, I just don't know how they did it.")

11. Close of street sign amongst burnt out woods pulls out to woman

(UPSOUND - "And when I woke up, this is my bedroom here, this is my bedroom here and I smelled the smoke at 3:30 and I thought I was dreaming and I got up and I moved the shade and that whole hill. Right there, that whole hillside right here was all, was all ablaze, all ablaze.")

12. Close of burned out motorcycle

13. Walking view of burned out stairway leading to burned out house

14. Two firemen putting out a smouldering fire

15. Close of burned deck pulls out to two women inside bedroom looking out window

16. Close of woman's reaction then pulls to two women placing black plastic over window

17. Close of burned debris pans and pushes to exterior of intact house/exterior of bedroom window

STORYLINE:

As the massive fires threatening Malibu died down a bit on Sunday, firemen were taking advantage of the slight lull of the hot dry Santa Ana winds to gain a foothold on the fires.

Officials say about 40 percent are now contained, with a few flames visible to the three water-dropping helicopters deployed over the fire zone.

Forty-nine homes were destroyed Saturday by the fast-moving wildfire pushed by Santa Ana winds.

Twenty-seven other homes were damaged and 10,000 to 14,000 people were evacuated.

Many homes were burned beyond recognition.

For residents able to return, some were pleasantly shocked to see that miraculously their home had survived.

One resident, Cindy Hochman, was stunned that while fires destroyed everything around her house including her deck, hot tub and outdoor grill, her house was still spared.

A ring of fire surrounded and burned everything practically up to her doorway.

"I smelled the smoke at 3:30 and I thought I was dreaming and I got up and I moved the shade and that whole hill, right there, that whole hillside right here was all, was all ablaze, all ablaze," she said.

Her neighbour's home, made mostly of wood, was not so lucky.

All of the homes were destroyed in the fire's initial Saturday morning surge before the winds slowed and firefighters gained a foothold.

With the winds dying down considerably, an estimated half of the evacuees were allowed to return home.

Full containment was expected by Tuesday according to officials.

SHOTLIST

++MUST COURTESY JOSEPH SOUZA++

AP TELEVISION - NO ACCESS NAMERICA/INTERNET

++NIGHT SHOTS++

Santa Barbara, 14 November 2008

1. Various of flames, burning houses and helicopter

AP TELEVISION

Santa Barbara, 14 November 2008

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Larry Williamson, property damaged by fire:

"And I opened the front door and it was just like a waterfall of fire and sparks coming down. I've never seen anything like it."

3. Various of burnt out car

4. Damaged property

5. Close of flame

6. Various of debris from fire

7. Burnt out car, tilt up to home

8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Kevin Wallace, Montecito Fire District:

"The sundowner winds blew embers all over and it's just something that mother nature is in control and we aren't."

9. Westmont College entrance

10. Burnt out car

11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jordan Evans, Westmont College Student:

"It was shocking to see the flames right outside the gym, where all of us were huddled in there, it was surprising to see how fire could get that close to us."

12. Wide shot of fire fighters

13. Flames on hillside

14. SOUNDBITE: (English) Chief John Scherrei, Santa Barbara Fire Department:

"I'm surprised we haven't lost 500 homes at this moment, the wind was so strong last night it knocked your door and pinned your door against the car."

15. Fire fighters on hillside

16. Smoke rising

17. Helicopter dropping water on hillside

STORYLINE

US fire officials on Friday said 111 homes had been confirmed destroyed in a celebrity-studded enclave of northern California and that the burned area had expanded to 18-hundred acres (728 hectares).

A Montecito fire spokeswoman said another 15-hundred homes in Montecito were threatened, but that wind conditions in the evening had been relatively mild.

Fierce winds were blamed for fanning the flames that quickly spread across Montecito on Thursday night and into Friday.

The fire began early in the evening on Thursday before it chewed through multi-million US dollars homes whose shattered windows glowed like jack-o-lanterns as they blazed through the night.

Thirteen people were injured in the blaze, which more than one thousand firefighters tried to contain.

A state of emergency was declared in Santa Barbara County and about 54-hundred homes were evacuated in Montecito, a town of 14-thousand where Los Angeles-weary celebrities rub shoulders with friendly locals.

Fuelled by vast stands of oil-rich eucalyptus trees - which exploded when lit - and decades of chaparral and other growth, the fire quickly spread to about 15-hundred acres (607 hectares) - more than two square miles (five square kilometres) - by Friday.

Santa Barbara's county deputy fire chief asked for patience from residents as crews tried to catalogue the devastation in remote hilly areas accessible only by winding roads.

Blistering winds gusting to 70 miles per hour (115 kph), dry brush and oil-rich eucalyptus trees helped turn an ordinary brush fire into an exploding inferno that quickly consumed rows of luxury homes and part of a college, where students spent the night in a gymnasium shelter.

Some one-thousand students were evacuated at Westmont College, a Christian liberal arts school, as another 300 spent the night on cots in the gym.

Layna Rivas returned to her home Thursday to find nothing but smoldering rubble after a massive Northern California wildfire burned across her property, killing her chickens and snatching her dream of creating an artists' community in the mountains.

Thousands of people have been driven from their homes by the blaze that has chewed through more than 100 square miles of dry brush and trees.

The flames mowed down some properties and left others untouched near Clearlake Oaks, California, about 100 miles north of San Francisco.

Forty-three homes have been destroyed with 13,000 people ordered or warned to evacuate.

"It's hard to know what's the sign or what sign to look for, what's it all mean?" Rivas wondered as she picked through the rubble of her home that she was turning into a retreat for artists and musicians. "It rages one side and rages here and takes away your home and not another home and it's hard, it's hard to decipher all that but just going to have to keep going with the grace of God."

Firefighters had the blaze at least 40 percent contained by late Thursday. It is the largest of 23 fires statewide and takes up nearly a third of the 10,000 firefighters dispatched in drought-stricken California.

Layna Rivas returned to her home Thursday to find nothing but smoldering rubble after a massive Northern California wildfire burned across her property, killing her chickens and snatching her dream of creating an artists' community in the mountains.

Thousands of people have been driven from their homes by the blaze that has chewed through more than 100 square miles of dry brush and trees.

The flames mowed down some properties and left others untouched near Clearlake Oaks, California, about 100 miles north of San Francisco.

Forty-three homes have been destroyed with 13,000 people ordered or warned to evacuate.

"It's hard to know what's the sign or what sign to look for, what's it all mean?" Rivas wondered as she picked through the rubble of her home that she was turning into a retreat for artists and musicians. "It rages one side and rages here and takes away your home and not another home and it's hard, it's hard to decipher all that but just going to have to keep going with the grace of God."

Firefighters had the blaze at least 40 percent contained by late Thursday. It is the largest of 23 fires statewide and takes up nearly a third of the 10,000 firefighters dispatched in drought-stricken California.

AP TELEVISION

Clearlake Oaks, California – August 6, 2015

1. Layna Rivas walks on her property where she lived and had been creating an artists community in the mountains, pointing out where a music studio once stood with a piano, hoisting piano from ashes

2. Burned rubble of studio building

3. Rivas walks up stairs that now lead to nowhere

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Layna Rivas, lost home to wildfire:

"There was a music studio, made out of straw bale, and the inside was all plaster finished and it even had gold lining in it. A beautiful baby grand sat right in the middle overlooking this valley and it was beautiful."

5. Various of burned structures, Rivas and friend picking through rubble

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Layna Rivas, lost home to wildfire:

"It's hard to know what's the sign or what sign to look for, what's it all mean? It rages one side and rages here and takes away your home and not another home and it's hard, it's hard to decipher all that but just going to have to keep going with the grace of God."

7. Rivas digging through rubble

8. Various of burned truck on property

9. Rivas walking her property, pointing out where her kitchen had been (UPSOUND: "This was my kitchen … ")

10. Various of rubble that was her kitchen

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Layna Rivas, lost home to wildfire:

"Keep on keepin' on, and to all those other families out there, my heart goes out to you, as well. We feel you. We are all in this together."

12. Rivas and friend walking on rubble of home

Raked by ferocious Santa Ana winds, explosive wildfires northwest of Los Angeles and in the city's foothills burned a psychiatric hospital and scores of homes Tuesday and forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people.

One of the blazes broke out Monday in Ventura County and grew wildly to more than 70 square miles (180 square kilometers) in a matter of hours, county Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen said. It was fanned by winds clocked at well over 60 mph (96 kph) that grounded firefighting helicopters and planes.

A smaller fire erupted on the northern edge of Los Angeles, threatening the Sylmar and Lakeview Terrace neighborhoods, where residents scrambled to get out as heavy smoke billowed over the city, creating a health hazard for millions of people.

Just weeks ago, wildfires that broke out in Northern California and its famous wine country killed 44 people and destroyed 8,900 homes and other buildings.

Fires aren't uncommon in Southern California this time of year before the winter rains set in, when the vegetation is tinder dry and winds blast the region.

The early official count was that at least 150 structures burned in the Ventura County fire, but it was sure to go higher. Mansions and modest homes alike were in flames. The Vista del Mar Hospital, which treats patients with mental problems or substance abuse, including veterans with post-traumatic stress syndrome, smoldered after burning overnight.

Aerial footage showed dozens of homes in one neighborhood burned to the ground and a large subdivision in jeopardy as the flames spit out embers that could spark new blazes.

More than 27,000 people were evacuated and one firefighter suffered bumps and bruises in a vehicle accident in Ventura County. Authorities initially reported one death, but then retracted that, saying a dead dog but no person was found in an overturned car.

The fire erupted near Santa Paula, a city of some 30,000 people about 60 miles (97 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles known for its citrus and avocado orchards and farm fields along the Santa Clara River.

Ventura County, Calfornia - December 5, 2017

1. Wide view of home and cars in driveway burning

2. Various of home burning

3. Various of structure burning

4. Close view of firefighter attaching hose to fire hydrant

5. Close view of fire truck

6. Medium view of fire truck

7. Wide view of firefighter spraying water onto structure

8. Close view of firefighter

9. Wide view of firefighters

10. Various of fire damage to structure

11. Wide view of hospital burned (pan)

12. Various of hospital burn damage

13. View from car showing wildfire smoke plume

Authorities closed a major freeway Thursday morning as flames from the largest and most destructive Southern California wildfire jumped lanes and threatened beachfront homes.

Fire blazed on hillsides all along the 101 Freeway between Santa Barbara and Ventura and jumped the roadway at Faria Beach, about halfway between the two cities.

As firefighters worked feverishly to tamp down the flames, some homeowners just a few hundred feet from the fire prepared for the worst, using garden hoses to spray their roofs and palm trees.

"We're leaving," said Steve Andruszkewicz as he watched the fire burn just across the street. "This has got me worried because of the blowing embers."

Winds whipped Thursday morning along the coast, creating new spot fires up and down the beach road.

Beachfront homeowner Joseph Ruffner said he planned to stay and ride it out, hoping for the best.

"I bought a generator yesterday so at least I can see on TV what's going," Ruffner said.

Calmer overnight conditions helped crews protect the Ventura County resort town of Ojai (OH'hi), where most of the 7,000 residents were under new evacuation orders following a big burst of wind late Wednesday. Evacuations were also ordered for the first time in Santa Barbara County, where the coastal city of Carpinteria was under threat.

Officials closed U.S. 101 for more than a dozen miles along the coast, cutting off a major route between Ventura and Santa Barbara counties for several hours as fire charred heavy brush along lanes.

Southern California has been hit hard by four major fires that have put tens of thousands of people under evacuation orders and destroyed nearly 200 homes and buildings, a figure that is almost certain to grow.

Faria Beach, California - December 7, 2017

1. Various of fire along coast, firefighters, homes

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Capt. Pete Jensen, Ventura County Fire Department:

"About an hour or so ago, we started to get a wind pickup that started to shower embers from the northbound side of the freeway over to the beach side, and dropped embers into the brush which then in turn ignited the brush and started more embers that started raining on the homes. So we brought in additional resources and we able to knock it down and reduce the threat against the homes."

3. Various of firefighters putting out blaze, flames

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Capt. Pete Jensen, Ventura County Fire Department:

"At this particular location along the coastline we have what's called the confluence where the east winds that have been predominant over the night are pushing against the natural onshore flow coming off the ocean and it battles here. As it ebbs and flows, it causes wind changes in which one will overpower the other and when that happens, we get erratic fire behavior."

5. Mid of firefighter talking to homeowner

6. SOUNBITE (English) Steve Andruszkewicz (and-DRUSK-oh), homeowner:

"We're leaving. We've been packed up since Tuesday. We left Tuesday night and stayed down at our son's house. We came back yesterday, stayed the night. This has got me worried because of the blowing embers."

7. Various of flames

8. Woman spraying house with hose

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Ruffner, homeowner:

"I thought we were done yesterday. We evacuated the night before last, came home and the fire was down in that direction and this morning there was a wall of fire back right over here and I didn't think it was no big deal but it's coming back to burn what it didn't burn yesterday."

10. Various of firefighters, flames

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Joseph Ruffner, homeowner:

"I bought a generator yesterday so at least I can see on TV what's going on."

12. Various of firefighters, flames

Cooler temperatures and higher humidity overnight helped thousands of firefighters battling an unruly Northern California wildfire, but officials worried that strong afternoon winds and hotter temperatures Wednesday could reignite portions of the blaze.

Firefighting officials said crews made progress with some help from light rain Tuesday, getting the fire less than a quarter contained. The blaze has charred 106 square miles, and isn't expected to be largely contained until at least Monday.

Much of the fire Wednesday morning was smoldering on the ground as firefighters positioned themselves around its perimeter in anticipation of possible flare-ups Wednesday afternoon while they continued to build containment lines aimed at corralling the blaze.

Fire spokesman Steve Kaufmann said the winds Wednesday afternoon would likely fuel the fire burning on the ground, spreading flames by carrying embers

"The last few days expect for yesterday, we would see little spot fires grow out of those ones because the winds would carry the embers, so we'll definitely have to see what today brings us," he said.

More than 3,000 firefighters are battling the smoky blaze.

The fire is burning about 110 miles north of San Francisco along rugged, parched terrain in Lake, Yolo and Colusa counties.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Since it started last Wednesday, more than 13,000 people were required or urged to leave their homes, vacation cabins and campsites.

Teams on Tuesday were able to build a buffer between the flames and some of the estimated 6,900 homes it threatens. Despite the fire's growth, no additional homes were consumed outside the two dozen already destroyed.

The fire is by far the largest of 11 burning in Northern California.

Cooler temperatures and higher humidity overnight helped thousands of firefighters battling an unruly Northern California wildfire, but officials worried that strong afternoon winds and hotter temperatures Wednesday could reignite portions of the blaze.

Firefighting officials said crews made progress with some help from light rain Tuesday, getting the fire less than a quarter contained. The blaze has charred 106 square miles, and isn't expected to be largely contained until at least Monday.

Much of the fire Wednesday morning was smoldering on the ground as firefighters positioned themselves around its perimeter in anticipation of possible flare-ups Wednesday afternoon while they continued to build containment lines aimed at corralling the blaze.

Fire spokesman Steve Kaufmann said the winds Wednesday afternoon would likely fuel the fire burning on the ground, spreading flames by carrying embers

"The last few days expect for yesterday, we would see little spot fires grow out of those ones because the winds would carry the embers, so we'll definitely have to see what today brings us," he said.

More than 3,000 firefighters are battling the smoky blaze.

The fire is burning about 110 miles north of San Francisco along rugged, parched terrain in Lake, Yolo and Colusa counties.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Since it started last Wednesday, more than 13,000 people were required or urged to leave their homes, vacation cabins and campsites.

Teams on Tuesday were able to build a buffer between the flames and some of the estimated 6,900 homes it threatens. Despite the fire's growth, no additional homes were consumed outside the two dozen already destroyed.

The fire is by far the largest of 11 burning in Northern California.

AP TELEVISION

Clearlake, California – August 5, 2015

1. Various of fire trucks, smoldering trees, burnt earth

2. Various of fire trucks, staging area

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Steve Kaufmann, captain, public information officer, Ventura County Fire Department:

"We expect the temperatures to go up and we expect the humidity to decrease substantially and that should dry out some of our vegetation fuel beds so I expect to see a little bit of increase in activity today."

4. Various of burned area, smoldering trees

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Steve Kaufmann, captain, public information officer, Ventura County Fire Department:

"If we have another good day, I expect to see some (containment) numbers increase and I definitely expect to see some numbers increase if we're able to hold those containment lines with the winds that we're expecting today."

6. Various of fire trucks, firefighters hiking up steep hillside to work on containment line.

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Steve Kaufmann, captain, public information officer, Ventura County Fire Department:

"A lot of fire deep seeded that's just smoldering on the ground so what happens during the day, especially when the winds come up is those fires will start getting bigger and then we'll start seeing flames and the last few days expect for yesterday, we would see little spot fires grow out of those ones because the winds would carry the embers, so we'll definitely have to see what today brings us."

8. Fire truck

The fire that has destroyed at least 18 homes in northern Los Angeles County gained ferocious new power two days after it broke out, sending so much smoke in the air that planes making drops on it had to be grounded for part of the afternoon.

The Southern California blaze has blackened at least 46 square miles of brush on ridgelines near the city of Santa Clarita. Osby said the size estimate could grow considerably once better assessment is done.

Planes were unable to make drops over the fire for a long stretch of the afternoon before resuming for a few hours before dusk. Helicopters released retardant around the perimeter of the fire all day and would continue into the night.

Residents of thousands of homes were evacuated as shifting winds were pushing flames northeast through Angeles National Forest, authorities said.

The fire that has destroyed at least 18 homes in northern Los Angeles County gained ferocious new power two days after it broke out, sending so much smoke in the air that planes making drops on it had to be grounded for part of the afternoon.

The Southern California blaze has blackened at least 46 square miles of brush on ridgelines near the city of Santa Clarita. Osby said the size estimate could grow considerably once better assessment is done.

Planes were unable to make drops over the fire for a long stretch of the afternoon before resuming for a few hours before dusk. Helicopters released retardant around the perimeter of the fire all day and would continue into the night.

Residents of thousands of homes were evacuated as shifting winds were pushing flames northeast through Angeles National Forest, authorities said.

Los Angeles County, California - 24 July, 2016

1. Camper van on fire

2. Smoke obscures sun

3. Bushes on fire

4. Camper van burning

5. Wide, camper van burning

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Dewberry, evacuated his home:

"Within 45 minutes it travelled that 10 miles it was right to our back yard. 100 feet tall, I mean full tornado fire. Spinning, nothing like I've ever seen close up."

7. Fire burning in bushes along road

8. Burning vegetation

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Dewberry, Evacuated Fire

"Very afraid. Because if it comes over that hill into this canyon like this, done deal. Eucalyptus trees, all that, they burn like, you know, nothing you've ever seen."

10. Smoke coming from fire on hillside

11. Huge cloud of smoke behind houses

12. Flames on mountaintop

13. Fire in distance on hill

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Justin Correll, Firefighter spokesman:

"The fire is rapidly growing. It has very very rapid growth when it comes to the fuels being so dry, and the fire consuming so much vegetation so quickly."

15. Huge plume of smoke

16. Fire on mountainside

17. Fire near fence in sandy area

18. SOUNDBITE (English) Justin Correll, Firefighter Spokesman:

"We have a total of 17-hundred structures being threatened and these numbers are as of six o'clock this morning. With a total of civilians evacuated."

19. House standing in burnt area, firetruck nearby

++MUTE FROM SOURCE++

20. Fire burning in burnt part of home

21. Burnt remains of home

22. SOUNDBITE (English) Justin Correll, Firefighter Spokesman

"The fire activity out on the Sand Fire is extreme. Conditions are extremely hot. Conditions are dry. In these conditions it makes it very difficult for firefighters to suppress these fires."

++MUTE FROM SOURCE++

23. Burnt home

++NAT SOUND++

24. Firefighter sprays burnt remains of home

25. Fire fighters amid burnt rubble

26. SOUNDBITE (English) Justin Correll, Firefighter Spokesman

"We're using air assets such as helicopters and plains dropping retardant and water from the sky. We have hand crews, we have engine crews going direct attack on the fire, trying to create as much containment as possible. With these conditions very difficult to create containment just due to the fire's intensity. We have reports of the fire having flame lengths of over 50 feet."

27. Burnt wall of home

28. Burnt jeep

29. Burnt vehicles

30. Firefighting helicopter

Wildfires that raged across California wine country left little more than smouldering ashes and eye-stinging smoke in their wake.

House after house is gone, with only brick chimneys and charred laundry machines to mark sites that were once family homes.

The fires killed at least 15 people, destroying more than 2,000 homes and businesses.

Hundreds of homes of all sizes were leveled by flames so hot they melted the glass off of cars and turned aluminum wheels into liquid.

David Leal walked amid the charred rubble of his family's Santa Rosa, California, home on Tuesday, thinking about everything they lost but staying strong by also thinking about everything they saved - their lives and their pets.

They fled in the early morning hours Sunday as a hot wind whipped through the neighborhood, raining ashes everywhere, a frightening glow not too far in the distance and seemingly approaching fast.

"We were able to get our two dogs and Pete the cat out of the house. We're living out of two cars. We went and got a P.O. box for the mail, went and got a laptop, went and got some clothes," Leal said, choking up.

Santa Rosa, California – 10 October 2017

1. Various of homeowner David Leal surveying damage of family's house

2. SOUNDBITE (English) David Leal, local resident who lost home to fire:

"And so we grabbed what we could, and you know, reflecting on our inventory, we didn't have time to think about what we grabbed, we grabbed what we saw."

3. Various of burned down home including burnt out car

4. SOUNDBITE (English) David Leal, local resident who lost home to fire:

"It's been hard to see what we've built and put into the place and now it's reduced to what you see here."

5. Various of burned down home

6. SOUNDBITE (English) David Leal, local resident who lost home to fire:

"We lost a vehicle, our truck, our camping truck, our camping trailer and as you can see, we just lost everything and now we're just here trying to take a baby step and start the process of rebuilding."

7. Various of burned car

8. SOUNDBITE (English) David Leal, local resident who lost home to fire:

"We're just, we're here trying to find what we can salvage. Our plan is to keep those things and when we rebuild, they'll be mementos of what we've lived through and the, just the resilience."

9. Various of burned home, Leal talking about where the door once was

10. SOUNDBITE (English) David Leal, local resident who lost home to fire:

"We were able to get our two dogs and Pete the cat out of the house. We're living out of two cars. We went and got a P.O. box for the mail, went and got a laptop, went and got some clothes."

11. Leal playing with his dogs

12. Various remains of burned home

13. Various of Leal showing back of car full of items UPSOUND (English): "This is home."

14. SOUNDBITE (English) David Leal, local resident who lost home to fire:

"You know, like John Wayne used to say, 'Good lord willing and the river don't rise', we'll be back home again, sooner than later with our chins held high and hopefully we'll be amongst our neighbours and friends as they do the same."

15. Leal walking through burned rubble of home

At least 65 structures have been destroyed by a wildfire in semi-rural north San Diego County.

Cal Fire also says there's still no containment of the fire early Friday.

The blaze exceeded 6 square miles (16 square kilometers) in a matter of hours Thursday and burned dozens of houses as it tore through the tightly packed Rancho Monserate Country Club community in the small city of Fallbrook.

Trees were charred for miles along Highway 76. Some homes along Olive Hill Rd., not far from the highway, were burned to the ground.

At one house in particular, roosters were roaming amid a destroyed home with flames still visible amid the rubble.

Strong winds subsided overnight, but forecasters say they will return later Friday, although they will be less widespread.

Fallbrook, California – 8 December 2017

1. Wide of smoky, burned down trees

2. Various of flames

3. Wide of smoke amid burned trees

4. Tight of rooster

5. Various of burned down home, flames

6. Tight of rooster

7. Various of gated community entrance with wreath on it, smoke in background

8. Wide of smoky trees

9. Wide of firefighter surveying damage from top of hill

10. Various of smoke blowing amid burned down trees

11. Various of flames along Olive Hill Rd.

At least 65 structures have been destroyed by a wildfire in semi-rural north San Diego County.

Cal Fire also says there's still no containment of the fire early Friday.

The blaze exceeded 6 square miles (16 square kilometers) in a matter of hours Thursday and burned dozens of houses as it tore through the tightly packed Rancho Monserate Country Club community in the small city of Fallbrook.

Trees were charred for miles along Highway 76. Some homes along Olive Hill Rd., not far from the highway, were burned to the ground.

At one house in particular, roosters were roaming amid a destroyed home with flames still visible amid the rubble.

Strong winds subsided overnight, but forecasters say they will return later Friday, although they will be less widespread.

Fallbrook, California – 8 December 2017

1. Wide of smoky, burned down trees

2. Various of flames

3. Wide of smoke amid burned trees

4. Tight of rooster

5. Various of burned down home, flames

6. Tight of rooster

7. Various of gated community entrance with wreath on it, smoke in background

8. Wide of smoky trees

9. Wide of firefighter surveying damage from top of hill

10. Various of smoke blowing amid burned down trees

11. Various of flames along Olive Hill Rd.

At least 65 structures have been destroyed by a wildfire in semi-rural north San Diego County.

Cal Fire also says there's still no containment of the fire early Friday.

The blaze exceeded 6 square miles (16 square kilometers) in a matter of hours Thursday and burned dozens of houses as it tore through the tightly packed Rancho Monserate Country Club community in the small city of Fallbrook.

Trees were charred for miles along Highway 76. Some homes along Olive Hill Rd., not far from the highway, were burned to the ground.

At one house in particular, roosters were roaming amid a destroyed home with flames still visible amid the rubble.

Strong winds subsided overnight, but forecasters say they will return later Friday, although they will be less widespread.

Fallbrook, California – 8 December 2017

1. Wide of smoky, burned down trees

2. Various of flames

3. Wide of smoke amid burned trees

4. Tight of rooster

5. Various of burned down home, flames

6. Tight of rooster

7. Various of gated community entrance with wreath on it, smoke in background

8. Wide of smoky trees

9. Wide of firefighter surveying damage from top of hill

10. Various of smoke blowing amid burned down trees

11. Various of flames along Olive Hill Rd.

SHOTLIST

1. Mid of burning log

2. Wide of burnt down camp

3. Mid of burnt out structure

4. Close of burnt chimney

5. Wide of road

6. Close of road sign blackened by wildfires

7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Fire Captain, name unknown:

"We're going to remain mobile and we're going to be aggressive, but we're going to be very safe. OK?"

8. Various of firemen listening to captain give instructions

9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Kevin Colburn, Spokesman, California Fire Department:

"It's steep, rugged terrain. The fuels haven't burned in more than a hundred years so they're in there pretty thick. Also, the weather's always a factor. So, we're expecting a low humidities today along with higher temperatures, around 97 degrees, and then we have the wind."

10. Wide of field with mountains in background

11. Wide of forest

12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sam Frankel, Evacuee:

"A roar, the digger pines where going boom! Exploding, one after another, coming up the canyon."

13. Various of Frankel writing on board

14. Mid of Frankel standing next to board

15. Zoom in to Frankel's name on noticeboard

16. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sam Frankel, Evacuee:

"Fire's saying there's a possibility our places are gone. We don't know."

17. Mid of smoking trees

STORYLINE

A wildfire burning almost completely out of control outside the famed Yosemite National Park in the US state of California has charred more than 42 square miles (108 square kilometres), destroyed 12 homes and forced hundreds to flee.

The blaze, moving through steep, dry terrain, has forced the evacuation of about 300 homes in the nearby towns of Midpines and Coulterville and is threatening about 2-thousand others.

Speaking to AP Television, evacuee Sam Frankel said he didn't know if his home would still be standing.

"There's a possibility our places are gone," Frankel said. "We don't know."

The fire was 10 percent contained on Monday as it burned about 12 miles (19 kilometres) west of the park, which remained open.

Highway 140, one of three highways leading into Yosemite from the west, was closed for part of the day to allow air tankers to drop fire retardant on the road.

A manager of a local hostel in Midpines popular with European backpackers, said most guests had left over the weekend.

But a few brave travellers stayed on Monday to try to spot Yosemite Valley's celebrated granite peaks through the smoke.

At the peak of summer, as many as 4-thousand visitors a day stream into the park.

Officials didn't expect the fire would keep many away.

Power has been out since Saturday in the park and in the outlying community of El Portal on the park's western boundary.

Hotels in the area are open and running on generators.

California has been dogged by wildfire since June, and hot, dry conditions have turned flare-ups into prolonged fire fights.

While many earlier blazes were ignited by a massive lightning storm, the fire outside Yosemite was sparked by a target shooter.

SHOTLIST

1. Wide of road, car, flames in background

2. Mid of flames

3. Pan from house to firefighters and flames

4. Fire truck

5. Firefighters spraying water on flames

6. Various of flames

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeanine Scharp, evacuee (crying):

"Those firefighters, they dug up a lot of ground out there, but they saved a lot of homes."

8. Mid of firefighters

9. Smoke rising next to house

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Fred Blome, Resident:

"If it was me, I'd probably stay as long as I could to protect my home, that's the way I am. My wife might say something different, but for me that's how it would be. I have to see the flames coming right down on top of me before I leave."

11. Various of people on camp ground

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Tony Brey, evacuee:

"Two nights ago we were told to evacuate about nine o'clock at night, we got the final evacuation. We had gotten prepared because there was a partial evacuation, or a precautionary evacuation but we knew that we needed to get our photos and pets together and stuff like that."

13. Family dogs

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Debra Lawhon, evacuee:

"I am worried, I mean, I don't know what's going on right now. We haven't heard anything and I'm just afraid that, you know, if it goes tree-top to tree-top I think Paradise would be toast, to be honest with you."

++NIGHT SHOTS++

15. Various of fire fighters next to flames

16. Various of burning trees

STORYLINE

Firefighters on Thursday worked to save homes from an out-of-control wildfire in the Sierra Nevada foothills ahead of an expected wind change that could further complicate efforts to corral the blaze.

The fire in Butte County had already destroyed dozens of homes this week and forced some 10,000 residents to flee.

Firefighters braced for northeast winds, forecast for Friday morning, that are similar to winds that caused the blaze to flare up on Monday night and destroy about 50 homes and 10 outbuildings.

Firefighters on Thursday positioned themselves on the banks of the Feather River opposite Paradise, where last month a separate wildfire destroyed 74 homes.

The blaze is one of about 40 lightning-sparked wildfires that over the past two weeks have charred more than 76 square miles in Butte County.

By Thursday, there were about 15 active fires.

In Concow, about 90 miles north of Sacramento, firefighters cleared and intentionally burned brush to keep the flames away from houses.

"Those firefighters, they dug up a lot of ground out there, but they saved a lot of homes," said evacuee Jeanine Scharp, wiping away her tears.

Animal control officers rounded up dogs, cats, horses and other animals left behind when owners hastily evacuated earlier this week.

"Two nights ago we were told to evacuate about nine o'clock at night, we got the final evacuation. We had gotten prepared because there was a partial evacuation, or a precautionary evacuation, but we knew that we needed to get our photos and pets together and stuff like that," said evacuee Tony Brey.

Evacuations orders remained in place, but some Concow residents were allowed to check on their homes on Thursday.

Evacuee Debra Lawhon said she was afraid the fire would spread further.

"I am worried, I mean, I don't know what's going on right now. We haven't heard anything and I'm just afraid that, you know, if it goes tree-top to tree-top I think Paradise would be toast, to be honest with you," she said.

Wildfires across California have burned nearly 1,100 square miles and destroyed about 100 homes since a lightning storm ignited most of them more than two weeks ago.

Some 1,460 fires had been contained by Thursday, but more than 320 still were active, authorities said.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger sent a letter to President George W. Bush asking for more equipment and personnel to help build fire lines and train California National Guard troops deployed to assist firefighting efforts, his office said.

"California is in the midst of battling unprecedented wildfires that have stretched our state's firefighting resources to their limit and placed thousands of Californians in immediate danger," Schwarzenegger said in the letter.

Officials at the US Department of Homeland Security said they were reviewing the request.

SHOTLIST

AP Television

Carbon Canyon

1. Various of firefighters cutting down charred trees

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Darren Janata, Firefighter:

"Today we're out here, we're for mopping up, coming out looking for any hot spots. Anything still burning or smoking, just to make sure we don't have any rekindle or any potential for... if the winds come up and blow across the line, we don't want to start, have a new fire."

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Darren Janata, Firefighter: (++demonstrating how he checks for heat in tree trunks++)

"Look for some white ash area like this. If I thought it potentially could have been hot, take my glove off, feel with the back of my hand. It feels cold, not an issue, but I can tell here, I can even feel the heat before I even touch it. I can feel heat in there so I know right off that I need to get in there and work that area and not touch it with the back of my hand."

4. Mid of firefighters digging up hot spots in the ground

ABC - No access North America/Internet

Goleta

(++Video quality as incoming++)

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Bill Brown, Santa Barbara County Sheriff:

"Several days ago, fire investigators determined that the ignition point of the fire indicated that it was a fire of human origin."

ABC - No access North America/Internet

Sylmar

6. Woman sifting through debris

7. Close of woman's hands

ABC - No access North America/Internet

Goleta

(++Video quality as incoming++)

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Bill Brown, Santa Barbara County Sheriff:

"The investigation determined that while at the Tea House several of the young adults had started a small bonfire."

ABC - No access North America/Internet

Sylmar - 18 November 2008

9. Wide firefighters sifting through debris

ABC - No access North America/Internet

Goleta

(++Video quality as incoming++)

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Bill Brown, Santa Barbara County Sheriff:

"At this time, the cause of the fire does not appear to be malicious, nor does there appear to be any specific intent to have started it."

AP Television

Anaheim Hills

11. Burnt out hillside with charred tree

STORYLINE:

A bonfire built by young adults and never fully extinguished was responsible for a massive wildfire in California that destroyed 210 homes, authorities said on Tuesday.

An anonymous tipster told police 10 students gathered last Wednesday evening at a property known locally as the 'Tea Garden,' next to an abandoned home in the hills of Montecito, Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said.

Though Brown said there was no "malicious intent," the county district attorney will review the case and determine if criminal charges are filed.

The fire burned intensely into the weekend, chewing up nearly two thousand acres (809 hectares) in Santa Barbara County and critically injured a couple who were burned as they fled their home, which was destroyed by the flames.

The Montecito blaze, which was named the Tea fire, was the first of three to erupt in Southern California.

They collectively damaged or destroyed around one thousand homes.

The fire in the San Fernando Valley was 70 percent contained; a third wildfire in Orange County was 75 percent contained.

About 50 miles (80 kilometres) to the south, the last remaining evacuation order was lifted in Orange County, where a nearly 29-thousand acre (11 thousand hectare) complex of fires was 75 percent contained and some of the 3,760 firefighters were being sent home.

The worst-hit area was the Oakridge Mobile Home Park in Sylmar, about 20 miles (32 kilometres) north of downtown Los Angeles, where 484 homes were destroyed.

Meanwhile, lawmakers geared up to help those who lost their homes.

President George W. Bush made a disaster declaration for California, freeing up federal aid to areas ravaged by the wildfires that blackened more than 65 square miles (104 square kilometres).

Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an executive order waiving state fees for fire victims who need to replace destroyed birth certificates and other documents or obtain state property inspections.

The order also waived a one-week waiting period for unemployment insurance applicants who lost their jobs because of the fire.

US President-elect Barack Obama has turned his campaign Web site home page into a plea to help fire victims that includes a link to Schwarzenegger's site, where people can sign up to volunteer or donate.

SHOTLIST:

APTN - August 16, 2005

Claremont

1. Wide shot of goat herd walking along trail

2. Close shot of goat herd on trail

3. Mid shot of goat herd running toward hillside

4. Close shot of goat eating tree leaves

5. Close shot of goats eating tree leaves

6. Wide shot of goats eating vegetation along hillside

7. Mid shot of goat herd owner Sarah Bunten with goats

8. Close shot of goats

9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sarah Bunten, co-owner, Nanny and Billy's Vegetative Management:

"For fire hazard, we've done this now for a couple of years. We've done weed abatement in Idaho for six years. But we got our first goat as a wedding present. And so we've had goats for over 20 years."

FILE APTN - October 27, 2003

Simi Valley, California

10. Wide shot of brush fire burning near homes

11. Wide shot of smoke from brush fire along hillside

12. Wide shot of home on hillside near brush fire

FILE APTN - October 27, 2003

Claremont, California

13. Mid pan shot of burnt out home

14. Close shot of burnt out home

APTN - August 16, 2005

Claremont, California

15. Mid shot of chimney, pan down to wide shot of goats walking past burned out home

16. Close shot of goat eating tree leaves

17. Mid shot of Los Angeles County fire official Jose de Jesus Lopez

18. Close shot of shirt patch

19. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jose de Jesus Lopez, deputy forester, Los Angeles County Fire Department:

"It also can remove some of the bigger vegetation, not woody vegetation, but all the leaves around that. Also they are very easy to maintain, they move very fast from one location to the other. And they work for long hours without stopping."

20. Wide shot of goat herd along hillside, push in to mid shot of goat herd along hillside

STORYLINE:

As fire fighters continue to battle blazes in America's west, officials in California and other states have found an four-legged solution to ease the danger in fire hazard areas.

In sprawling Los Angeles County, goats are being used to remove areas of dense bushes and shrubs along hillsides and canyons near suburban homes that could provide fuel for raging bush fires.

Fire department officials in the area are keeping a close watch on hillside areas covered with dry vegetation, known as brush.

Goats in Claremont California, about 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, are coming to the aid of local fire officials dealing with a bumper crop of weeds and brush brought on by a near record rainy season.

It was October 2003 when wildfires last blazed a trail of devastation through the same area, destroying dozens of homes and hundreds of acres of forest and brush land.

Now Los Angeles County officials are working with private goat herders Sarah and Hugh Bunten to beat back the brush.

Their herd of some 200 goats is hard at work doing what they do best, eating their way through a 20 acre site of dense brush in Claremont.

The Bunten's call their operation "Nanny and Billy's Vegetative Management".

From their home base in Lakeview Oregon, they venture to fire hazard zones in California, Idaho and other Western states during the spring and summer months.

Sarah Bunten says the goats are ideal for brush clearing of the kind needed to clear the fire hazard areas.

The goats can move quickly through rough, hilly terrain, eating virtually all of the vegetation within reach.

Fire officials in Los Angeles County say the goat herds provide a good alternative in areas hard to reach by regular brush clearing crews.

The City of Los Angeles is also trying out the goat teams to bring some relief for their own fire-hazard zones.

The city brought in Sarah's goats in July to graze on 12 acres of brush in a canyon area south of the city to reduce the threat of wildfires.

That grazing project was part of a pilot programme that city officials say they plan to continue ahead of next year's fire season.

Wildfires are a major threat each year in the American West.

As of this month, US officials report 28 large fires totalling 290,000 acres were active in 10 states from Alaska to California.

So far this year, wildfires have charred 5.89 (m) million acres nationwide, compared with 5.95 (m) million acres at the same time last year.