North County Times from Oceanside, California • 6

iMDiio PUT ,1 A-6 THURSDAY, think 1 Wa; Noun (Ax vn 1 imi Blazes outpace Southern California firefighters i. ner. The 425-acre fire was set Monday, officials said. A 150-acre fire northwest of Lake Hemet was 85 percent con tamed, said Lardner, adding that the effort was aided by heavy lain eailier in the evening. The tire endangered no human hahi tat ion, but did threaten some spotted owl habitat.

In Yucaipa, a barn and shed were- destroyed by a 940-acie biush fire spat bed by a downe power line. Crews had it con tained and were mopping up Wednesday bioken arm and possible broken ribs sustained by a fireman woi Icing near the San Bernardino County community of City Creek. Firefighting efforts were hampered by erratic winds caused by Hunicane Nora, which also brought the assistance of light rain to some areas. Heavier rain and thunderstorms were expected to hit the mountains and deserts of San Diego, west Riverside and southwest San Bernardino counties Wednesday evening, the National Weather Service said. Near Banning, a brush fire that destroyed six to eight unoccupied trailer houses on Tuesday was half surrounded by fire lines Wednesday afternoon, said Iral Evans, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry The cause of the fire, about 90 miles east of Los Angeles, was still under investigation, he said.

The Banning area also had two smaller fires Wednesday, fed by high winds and dry brush. Evans said. There was no estimate of control on either the Mesa or the Rabbit fires and no homes were threatened. The Mesa fire, which started Wednesday evening, had burned 75 acres, 'lhe Rabbit fire jumped Highway 60, which was closed, and binned 150 dues. "The winds aie pushing it (the Rabbit fire) and the rain is trying to put it out, Evans said.

hi San Bernardino County, the City Creek fire was 90 percent surrounded, said U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Melody Lard- Escondido Detective Dave Bell, California Department of Forestry Capt. Gary Eidsome and Vista Fire Marshal Paul Dawson search the site where an arson device was found Wednesday on Lake Dnve just north of Lake Hodges Hurricane Nora brought a mixed blessing to Southern California on Wednesday, causing high winds that fanned flames of several brush fires, including the Del Dios fire in North County, and rain that helped douse other fires. A dozen firefighters reported minor injuries, from scrapes to bee stings, as they cleaned up the latest round of brush fires. The most serious injury was a FIRE Continued from -l far south as Tijuana and as far north as Riverside.

The cloud cast a daik shadow across Escondido, prompting afternoon motorists on Interstate 15 to chive with their headlights on. White-arid giay ash rained down on much of North County, fiom Oceanside to Escondido, for hours. Two firefighters were treated for smoke inhalation and exhaustion at Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, a hospital spokes-I woman said. One was released I while the other, who also suf-! fered hack and leg injuries, was I still under observation late Wednesday. Among the evacuees were 85 residents of the Palomar Continuing Care Facility off Via Rancho Parkway, west of Interstate 15.

They were all taken to Palomar Medical Center as a precaution. Ten suffered from pre-existing respiratory problems and were closely monitored. At 3 50 pm, investigators from the North County Arson Task Force found an arsonist's device about a quarter niile south of Via Rancho Parkway on the east side of Lake Drive, the entrance to the Lake Hodges recreation area California Department of Forestry and I ire Protection Chief Bill Clay ton said the dev ice is similai to five otheis used to start fires North County since Aug 1 "Whoever is setting these fires is looking to bum property I and kill people, Clayton said. He said the blazes are being set 1 during weather conditions that ARSONIST Cuntinued from I Wednesdays blaze will he eved in connection with more than a dozen arson fires that have ravaged North County this summer. There is a possibility there is a connection with other fires, Fadsmoe said.

(But) we have no way of knowing that for sure. Many of the fires, including the Harmony Grove fire last Oc-I tober, have been started near recreation areas, like the one at Lake Wohlford or Lake Hodges. i NORA i Continued from VI i cane was to help reduce the intensity of the fire, said Dan Atkins, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. 1 lhe unusual weather was the result of a combination of fat- tors, including a high pressure system sitting over Utah, a low pressure system over the ocean and Humiune Nora in Bata Cali Whoever is setting these fires is looking to destroy property and kill people California Department of forestry and Fire Protection Chief Bill Clacton Those things you cant replace. Caliente Glen resident Darlene Beebe, as her husband grabbed Beanie Babies and photo albums from their home I was just thinking, if our house burned now hat would our insurance company think? Stay away from those people.

An exchange Wednesday bet een Nancy and Frantz 1 Daniel, who lost their home 1 in the Harmonv Grove fire of I October 1996 and were ev acuated from their rental home Wednesday during the Del Dios fire Its a good thing I own a ladies boutique because I as thinking on the driye oyer here that this may be the only thing I have. I was already picking out a few outfits. Roxane Berard, describing her thoughts as she headed from her North County Fair store to the Del Dios Middle School ev acuation center after learning her Lake Drive neighborhood had been evacuated Tm in mv chair. I can beat the fire. Patrick Broward, a heelchair-using resident ot Palomar Continuing Care Center, a.s he was being ev acuated This little bitty ember grew into a brilliant flame that climbed up that hill and took that house.

Laurie Reynolds, who watched her neighbor's Del Dios Highway home bum to the are ideal for raging wildfires. Wednesdays fire follows a series of more than a dozen arson fues in North County this summer, including a 457-acre blaze-near Lake Wohlford on Aug 1 that destroyed 11 homes and 30 vehicles. More than 200 homes in Del Dios, Harmony Grove, Mt. Israel and southwest 1 scondrdo were threatened by flames, Clavton said. Shitting winds eventually turned the fue hack on itself, and temperatuies dropped about 20 degrees under the sweeping front edge of the hurricane A light rain began falling about 6:30 p.m., helping firefighters douse the flames.

Land cleared of thick brush hv a 199U blaze also slowed Wednesday's fire. About 700 firefightus, eight air tankers and four helicopters battled the blaze, which also burned 15 out buildings, olfiuals said Escondido and San Marcos deployed all available resources at the fire, leaving them vulnerable to other potential emergencies. At one point, water pressure in fire hydrants plummeted, and crews resorted to drawing water out of Lake Hodges with tanker trucks About residents in and around lie fire area were without k-ctriuty ha several hours. San Diego Gas iectric Co. cut power to several hundred homes as a routine precaution, and high winds knocked down other power lines OtficiaK closed Del Dios Highway between alk-v and Citraca-do parkways Escondido and F.1 Cainino del None in Rancho Santa I overnight, forcing rush-hour commuters find alternate 'lhe Harmoiiv Grove blaze was North Countv's mod devastating lire ever Many of the fires started on roadsides Forestry Chief Bill Clayton, the incident commander, said the device found at the Del Dios fire was similar to devices found at five oilier arson files in North County this summer.

Fearing a potential for copycats, investigators declined to Ik- more specific about what type of device they tound "It's one big puzzle, Robert son said. Investigators are also relut- forma with San Diego County right in the middle. As the humidity level dropped to 15 percent and temperatures rose past the century mark, Atkins said, hot air from the desert passed over the inland and coastal areas on its way to the ocean, a condition similar to a Santa Ana. 'lhe spinning mass of the hurricane may have made the heat even more intense hv sucking cool air from the county, Atkins said But as tin- afternoon turned DON BOOMER h. iiist otf Del Dios Highway.

I i.t the lac- daed (inwn and the hoi remained the u- At Del Dios Highway and I -I ane. a 30 tout stunt tireplai uid chimney utnd out ot the p.t ot ash and min rs that had U-t an unoccupied house Watt i tmm hrotkri pipes dribbled mm tin- smoldering pik- ngme company I tried save the house, but they wouh1 have gotten killed staying in there lay mn said fin- ot those hit tiglitc is sai i lhe house was doomed hec.ius-there was "not enough (brush, clearance- and a shake root -just not enough to protect It's i problem fire crews face often while- battling wildland blazes I he set ond home destroyed was on Cor drey Drive off Hanuo nv Grove Road, CDF official, said No information was avadabh on the owners of either house Del Dios Middle School was established as the primary evat atom center, and San Mantis High School prepared to accept evacuees for the second year a row g- its D. Wade Booth, Philip K. Ireland. Randy Dotinga, Holly Lobelson, Yvette Urrea.

Gary Warth, Scott Marshall and Tahlia Marlin contnbutPd this report It was writer, hv stab w'-'er Craig Miller the others being a discarded cig arette or possibly emissions from vehicle. In some suspicious North County fires, investigators have not found a time-delayed device, leading them to believe the blazes are being "hot set lg mted by matches or someone ing a cigarette lighter or torch. The countv has offered $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction ot any arsonist in San Diego Conn ty. Anyone with information on anv suspicious fires should call CDF at (800) 47 ARSON few days, with Nora producing heavier clouds and higher hu midrty levels, ranging from 60 percent inland to 75 percent along the coast. Forecasters predict a 50 pei cent chance of rain today witli about 0.25 inch falling on the coast and 1 to 3 inches inland.

The tropical storm will also pm duce thunderstorms throughout the county, said weather service forecaster Richard Stitt. And with the storms, residents can ex peel vai table guxtrng inds. the distune she s.ud. fir mv God It looks like rm ter lute lung a ride With a neigh Pol. 'he di'cocc re iu home was Stitt 1 dward Ian came burnt tmm his tub Ian a lk at at tei hearing about tin- "Pvt- bet this an a for vears It's higge st tear out here." lie said keirv sti it kdult- had iM put her cal in her car and was alxiut to go back inside for more he longings St thaMhe lire w.h loo close tor commit, sin change il la i mind and Other residents took the lut-in stride until winds shifted unexpectedly George Bielusz sat drinking a Budueisc-r with a fuend at Smiley's Custom Auto Body near the lake recreation area.

When the fue made a turn and headed hack toward the lake, Bielasz said It's coming baik down here, man Right here where wt- are Oh, man Another man sat placing a guitar on the front porch ot the Del Dios Country Stole as the fire raged less than a mile awav Countv animal control and Humane Society ottiuaK roamed the area looking tor lost pets About 35 dogs welt- evacuated from a kennel on Rancho Drive, and several horses were taken to the Rancho Bernardo Riding Club Volunteers began evacuat ing about 55 horses from a stable fries in North County this summer It was uncovered shortly after noon Sunday at the east end of the Eseondido city-maintained lake, not far from where a time-delavc-d device ignited a biush lire I hiit destroyed 11 homes, .30 vehicles and scorched 457 acres at larke Wohlford on Aug. 1. Another arson tire burned near the same area June 28 lhe devastating Harmony Grove fire last October was clubbed "suspicious, but investigators were unable to determine if it was set by an arsonist Arson is one of three probable causes, tiol of the Del Dios fire. It was quite a contrast to the last time Mother Nature played a big role in a North County blaze. East October, the hone-dry air and whipping winds of a Santa Ana helped doom more than 100 homes to the ravages of the Harmony Grove fire.

Those flames hopscotched all the way from F.lfin Forest to Carlsbad to Olivenhain, driven by 45 mph winds. Todays unusual weather is expected to continue tor the next routes between lire coast and land North Countv Police bar ncaded dozens of mads in the area, preventing rt-sr dents Horn reaching their tnunes However, there were ic ports ut several lesidc-nts driving around the barricades F.scondldo police ar rested Damron Shawn Bagbv, 4 3, a Del Dios Highway resident, on suspi cion of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer after he alk-Ledlv speeded past a hat I icade Ft lorn Caiisev said A community service olticci had to dive out ot the wav Residents who wetc- able to reach their homes quickly packed pets and belongings into tht-ir vehicles and headed for safety I took what I could pack. It sucks," said Jennifer Vawtc-r, as she loaded her possessions into a car and a pickup truck with her boyfriend, Robert Jones, at their rented home in the 9800 block of Del Dios Highway. "Cops told us we had to go This is the second tunc Vawtc-r has experienced the teiror of wikifne. She said she lost a home several years ago Santa Ana My house burned down years ago.

I lost everything Jean Piencknev, who rents a house in the 2000 block of Date Dink, left her car at a police barricade and ran toward the hie area. Seeing a house on fire tant to disclose, or do not know, whether one arsonist is responsible for all the fires. We know we have at least one, Fadsmoe said. A device recovered Sunday afternoon hv a woman picking up trash adjacent to I-ake Wohlloid Road near two other arson fires this summer is being analyzed in a laboratory for fingerprints. The unignited arson device, which appeared weathered by sun and rain, is similar, but not identical, to other devices investigators have found at some of the more than one dozen arson into evening, the temperatuies dipped, the winds fell, and humidity skyrocketed.

In San Diego County, the humidity rose to 76 percent bv 4 p.m. and later in the evening temperatures dropped by 20 degrees. Hurricane Nora was responsible for some of the wet air, as were sea breezes from the ocean that kicked in during the late afternoon, Atkins said. As winds calmed and the air cooled, firefighters gained con-.