Wildfire Maps Aid FEMA Mission

摘要

In October 2007, a series of wildfires began burning across Southern California, leaving death and destruction in their path. Twenty raging brush fires were fanned by strong winds that quickly spread to seven counties. At least 1,500 homes were destroyed, leaving thousands homeless, and more than 500,000 acres of land burned from Santa Barbara County to the United States-Mexico border. Nine people died as a direct result of the fire; 85 others were injured, including at least 61 firefighters. More than 6,000 firefighters fought the blazes, aided by United States Army units, almost 3,000 prisoners convicted of nonviolent crimes, and 60 firefighters from the Mexican cities of Tijuana and Tecate. Major contributing factors to the extreme fire conditions were drought, hot weather, and unusually strong Santa Ana winds with gusts reaching 85 miles per hour. The fires had numerous sources.