Doualy Xaykaothao
October 31, 2007
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The National Weather Service predicts high winds and low humidity by this weekend in the mountains and valleys of L.A. and Ventura counties. In response, California's governor has directed a number of agencies to prepare for the possibility of another round of wildfires. KPCC's Doualy Xaykaothao reports.
Doualy Xaykaothao: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger says the state is not out of danger yet.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger: We have right now one foot in the recovery area, and one foot still fighting the fires.
Xaykaothao: He told a gathering of Southern California officials that four fires are still burning, and that the state is not going to be caught flat-footed if this weekend's weather makes things worse.
Schwarzenegger: We're putting a lot of personnel, aircraft, and other equipment in place so we can act immediately if the winds pick up.
Xaykaothao: The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is deploying air tankers, helicopters, and firefighters to a number of locations, including San Diego, Riverside, Ramona, and Hemet. The California National Guard will maintain a Southern California presence of about 1500 guardsmen and six helicopters.
The Guard will keep additional forces on alert, and the state Office of Emergency Services will position firefighters in Orange and Ventura Counties. Mike Hall of FEMA was at the meeting with the governor. He says local and state agencies have been both responsive and responsible.
Mike Hall: They've delivered the kind of service to the victims of California that one would expect. We're still in the fire business, we can't let that guard down, but we're rapidly moving into the recovery.
Xaykaothao: Hall says FEMA has handed out more than $2 million in housing assistance to fire victims. He says more than 10,000 people have registered for federal assistance. California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner says more than 2,000 families lost everything in the fires.
Commissioner Steve Poizner: There are thousands of other families that are now filing insurance claims due to other types of damage to their houses. Smoke damage, and so forth. We estimate that damage due to these fires will exceed $1.5 billion.
Xaykaothao: Poizner says 80% of this recovery money will come from the insurance industry. Governor Schwarzenegger says that's why it's important for those who don't have insurance to get coverage, and for those who didn't lose their homes to take the time to inventory what they own.
Schwarzenegger: And then put all of this on a disc, and then give it to someone, to some friend somewhere outside the house, so in case the house burns down, they can go and retrieve this disc, and then show it to the insurance adjusters, and say, "Here are my belongings, here's the evidence of all of this. I think this is very important."
Xaykaothao: The governor says the wildfires, along with this week's earthquake in San Jose, served as a warning that we have to be prepared for the next major disaster.
