October 25, 2007

Wildfires Roundup: Arson Suspected; Bush Tours Devastation

The fires that have ravaged a large swath of the Golden State since Sunday showed signs of letting up today, as the Santa Ana winds that had so fiercely fanned the flames for days began to subside, giving firefighters the chance to gain some control. Here's a snapshot of the latest news from Southern California:

Bodies found. The death toll from the fires appears to have risen to three, as the San Diego Sheriff's Department announced the discovery of two charred bodies inside a home in the community of Poway, which was hit by the biggest fire in the region this week.

Arson suspected. The major fires are still being attributed to a deadly combination of drought conditions and those Santa Ana winds, but at least two people have been arrested in Southern California this week for allegedly setting smaller fires contributing to the destruction. Federal and local officials are remaining vigilant to prevent further "copycat fires and looting," the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Federal assistance. President Bush surveyed from the air some of the 700 square miles of devastation caused by the fires today before touching down to meet with residents of a neighborhood near San Diego. In a press conference with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bush offered federal aid to help clear debris and assist residents in rebuilding the nearly 3,000 homes and businesses destroyed in the blaze. He also offered prayers to the victims and their families. Schwarzenegger told Bloomberg News that the federal assistance came "quicker than I expected."

The candidates react. The Politico's Jonathan Martin and Ben Smith have been tracking the presidential candidates' responses to the devastation in California in light of the political fallout that can occur when natural disasters are ignored (see Hurricane Katrina). As of late yesterday, the Democratic hopefuls had all managed to address the situation prominently on their Web sites, while the Republicans were comparatively slow to respond. This morning, Martin reported progress on the GOP front as well.

Brownie?? Speaking of delayed reactions, the Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire picked up a strange twist in the story earlier this week: Former FEMA Director Michael Brown (he of "heckuva job" fame) has made himself "available for interviews" to discuss the crisis.

The Los Angeles Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune have complete, round-the-clock coverage of the fires and their aftermath.

Posted at 4:30 PM
Posted to: Campaigns, Democrats, President Bush, Republicans, WH 2008
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