The San Bernardino County Sun from San Bernardino, California • Page 51

"--a ii. ii I II li 1 II I ilH IWWpJftyj i fH TTilTTi lull i 1 1 1 1 mil i w- tiUML UIlU 12 All IjIAW homes JF ire claims tour lives Blazes still unchecked; 8,000 flee By TINA MAY Sun Staff Writer The fire-related death toll rose to four this afternoon as two wind-whipped blazes in the hills above San Bernardino continued raging out of control for the second day. As of noon today, 8,000 persons had fled their homes. In all, 273 houses, including six near Crestline, have been destroyed in the Panorama fire and one outbuilding was charred in the Sycamore blaze. The state Office of Emergency Services estimated fire damages in excess of $44 million so far.

By 1 p.m. today the Panorama fire was 10 percent contained and had burned 10,000 acres, and the Sycamore blaze was 25 percent contained and had charred 3,000 acres, fire officials said. Two of the dead persons, a married couple, were found this morning in their yard in north San Bernardino, charred beyond recognition. The other two, both of San Bernardino, may have died of heart attacks, a coroner's official said. And at least 120 persons had been treated at local hospitals for minor injuries by early today.

Meanwhile, some north San Bernardino homeowners returned to their neighborhoods this morning to poke through the blackened rubble that was all that remained of their houses. And the smoke smell hung in the air throughout the town, while ashes were falling in downtown San Bernardino. Among the destroyed homes, about 20 belonged to local police and sheriff's officers and nine were owned by San Bernardino firemen. About 5,000 North Park residents had been evacuated by late Monday and another 3,000 persons were ordered out of Mountain Shadows and Carriage Hills early today. At 8:45 a.m.

today, the arson-caused Panorama blaze headed west, threatening some structures in Devore and forcing the evacuation of the KOA campground and along Meyers Road west of the Western Regional Little League Headquarters. But shortly before 11 a.m., the erratic winds pushed the fire southeastly toward homes along Walnut and Pine avenues and Wagon Wheel Road. Fire and sheriff's officials were also telling people in the Palm and Belmont avenues area to be prepared to get themselves and their inimals out, as erratic winds gust-ing as high as 60 mph once again hampered firefighters' efforts. At noon, there were confirmed reports that an unknown number .,7,, -ftt AlT LI Ifl I rrrOte'Jwi 1 'wf sl 4- 'rU'W i 4 "ff I ff, 1 Awl r. i'V- ii; Vlfl- 1 4 jy of homes had burned there.

Near that same area, two buildings were charred yesterday at California State College, San Bernardino, and a Girl Scout camp at the mouth of Devil's Canyon suffered minor damage. The perimeters of the Panorama fire at noon today were Kendall Drive on the west, Crest Forest Drive on the north, Coldwater Canyon on the east and Hill Drive on the south. The Sycamore fire Is east of City Creek and burning over the top of Harrison Canyon today. Winds yesterday were so severe that firemen battling flames In the Waterman Canyon area reported being struck by rocks the she of golf balls. The winds yesterday also prevented the use of air tankers to aid firefigthers.

But officials had hopes today that th winds -i some as high as 30 to jo mph 4-would die down enough to employ the tankers, although the winds Continued on A-2 col umn l) MP off 1 5 "tMtpMH by fti Mw Ptaa owa by Art MU Aerial' view of the north side of North Park Boulevard shows the extent of devastation. 1.