'Worst in My Lifetime': Wind-Whipped Fires Char 500 Mobile Homes

Other Homes Burned in Multiple Blazes; Near-Hurricane Winds Thwart Firefighters

On Friday, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency for Santa Barbara County, Calif., as firefighters battled a fire there that damaged at least 100 homes and injured 13 people.

WATCH: California in Flames

Schwarzenegger: California Fires at 'Zero-Containment'

WATCH: Wildfires Rage in Montecito, Calif.

Ironically, when the Santa Ana winds blow, they clear the air of smog and the mountains around Los Angeles appear more vivid and majestic. But longtime residents know it is also when wind is king and danger is only a spark away.

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