California Wildfires Rage, Threaten Luxury Locations
California's governor declared a state of emergency overnight.
Oct. 22, 2007 — -- At least a dozen raging California wildfires, stretching from Santa Barbara to San Diego, forced Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to declare a state of emergency for seven counties overnight. The Santa Ana winds, which were clocked at more than 60 mph, have helped fuel the fires, which have burned at least 35,000 acres.
More than 1,000 firefighters are battling the flames, and so far none of them have been contained.
The wildfires, which number nearly a dozen dotted across the region, have killed one person and injured more than 12, including two critically hurt firefighters.
Fire inspectors suspect a downed power line may have ignited one of the largest fires in Malibu, which has destroyed or threatened some of southern California's most luxurious homes.
It also forced the closure of the Pacific Coast Highway, a major artery.
The windy conditions and heat that have fed the fire are expected to continue through at least Tuesday as evacuees continue seeking havens.
As the fires raged and encroached upon their Malibu home, architect Richard Sol and his wife, Margaret, were forced to evacuate their house Sunday morning.
The couple decided to take two cars; their son Christopher accompanied Margaret, while older son Peter went with his dad.
But their journey to safety was blocked by challenges.
"My car stalled right in the middle of the smoke," Richard said Monday on "Good Morning America," where he appeared with his entire family. "My car had been burned by the fire, by the heat."
Richard, who was unable to use the same escape route as his wife because of the fast moving wildfire, pulled over to the roadside after turning his car around while trying to find another way out.
Then his Jaguar stalled and he was unable to move.
"I could not go forward," he said. "My car could not retain its ignition."
Eventually, Richard and Peter abandoned the car, which was destroyed, and met up with Margaret and Christopher, who had their own brush with death.
