CA Fire Season Underway -- And How!

Flames Force Evacuations; Man Arrested A series of wildfires in Southern California spread overnight, forcing thousands to evacuate their homes and leading to an arrest of a man suspected of igniting one of the blazes. As many as 4,000 homes had been evacuated since midnight between Corona and Lake Elsinore, according to fire officials. The "El Cerrito" blaze rapidly spread in Temescal Canyon near Interstate 15 since it was sparked early Monday afternoon and, according to wire reports, is estimated to only be 10% contained. ... Southern California's fire season opened Monday with fast-moving brush fires in Riverside, Los Angeles and San Diego counties covering more than 8,300 acres. Fire officials fear that scorching temperatures, and dangerous conditions could ignite another devastating fire season. ... But fire officials said they were beginning the season better-prepared to do battle this year, having launched efforts to eliminate vegetation around homes, cleared mountain evacuation routes, removed dead and dying trees damaged by drought and a beetle infestation, and added computerized systems to warn residents in the path of fires.