October 28, 2006 - 6:04AM
Fire crews struggled to protect homes from a wind-whipped wildfire that trapped and killed four firefighters in a wall of flames, stranded hundreds of campers and forced evacuations as it raced across Southern California.
The blaze, which authorities said was arson, blackened nearly 9,600 hectares, almost 97 square km, in the San Jacinto Mountains just west of Palm Springs. It destroyed 10 structures, including at least five homes. At one point, several hundred mountain residents took refuge with campers in a nearby recreational vehicle park where crews could protect them.
The fire was only five per cent contained early on Friday as more than 1,100 firefighters worked to protect homes and build fire lines. Crews were sent to an area near the fire's western border late on Thursday.
"We had a lot of fire activity overnight," Bill Peters, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry told The Associated Press. "Normally the fire dies down and the winds let up but that didn't happen last night. It burned like it was daytime."
Peters said firefighters had to evacuate additional areas overnight.
Four US Forest Service firefighters were killed while attempting to protect a home close to where the fire began in Cabazon. The flames came so quickly the five-person crew had no time to retreat to its engine or use portable fire shelters.
Authorities said a $US100,000 ($A131,000) reward would be offered for information leading to the arsonist's arrest.
Authorities have not revealed why they think the fire was arson. "Because of the seriousness, they're going to want to make sure that if and when this goes to court, they want to make sure it goes all the way," Peters said.
Three of the firefighters died at the scene and two were taken to the hospital in critical condition. One died several hours later and the other had burns over 95 per cent of his body, said Pat Boss, a US Forest Service spokesman.
The surviving firefighter also had severe respiratory damage, according to Dr Dev Gnanadev, a trauma surgeon at Arrowhead Regional Medical Centre, adding that the "chances of survival are low when you have that bad of an injury".
It was the deadliest wildfire in the United States since July 10, 2001, when four firefighters were killed in Washington's Okanogan National Forest. They became trapped by flames on a dusty dead-end road.
Thursday's deaths brought to 19 the number of California firefighters killed in the line of duty over the past year, according to statistics kept by California Professional Firefighters, a lobbying organisation.
At least one civilian suffered minor injuries and 200 people in the small, mountain communities of Poppet Flat and Twin Pines were forced to flee their homes, authorities said.
In all, nearly 700 people in the area were evacuated, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger told reporters in Sacramento.
As many as 1,000 people who had come to the Silent Valley Club RV Resort near Poppet Flat for annual Halloween events were unable to leave after firefighters closed the only road out of the community. TV footage showed vehicles racing through smoke and flames just before the road was closed.
Firefighters said it was safer to keep the people in the recreational vehicle park because the blaze was stymied by an existing firebreak around the area.
As that fire raged, another sprung up in neighbouring Orange County, about 80 km southwest. There, firefighters were battling a brush fire that started overnight and forced about 140 people to flee a campground in the Cleveland National Forest near the city of Lake Elsinore, county Fire Captain Steve Miller said.
A wildfire in the Bitterroot National Forest in the State of Montana.
A wildfire has been reported near Palm Springs, California. 

At least 4 United States Forest Service firefighters were killed and 1 seriously injured, with burns on nearly 95% of his body.  The firefighters were overcome by fire while attempting to put out a blaze inside a home. The fire has burned nearly 10,000 acres and has destroyed 5 houses including 5 other buildings.

"We had a lot of fire activity overnight. Normally the fire dies down and the winds let up but that didn't happen last night. It burned like it was daytime," said California Department of Forestry spokesman, Bill Peters.

"The chances of survival are low when you have that bad of an injury," said Arrowhead Regional Medical Centre surgeon, Doctor Dev Gnanadev who also added that the firefighter has suffered "severe respiratory damage."

Witnesses have reported that 2 males were seen leaving the area of the fire at 1:00 a.m. on Thursday morning.

Authorities have determined that the blaze was due to arson and are offering a $500,000 USD reward for information leading to an arrest, but no information on how or why the fire was set has been released. Authorities say that murder could be among the arson charges who whoever is responsible.

"This is an arson fire. This is a deliberately set arson fire," said California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention, John Hawkins.

Nearly 1,000 people have been evacuated from the area.