Three raging California wildfires destroyed hundreds of homes and buildings, and forced thousands of residents to flee over the weekend. The fires, which began Nov. 13, burned through parts of Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties. Gusts of about 70 mph winds fanned the fire through more than 43,500 acres. Several hospitals, schools and universities were affected.
The Sayre Fire in Sylmar, Calif., burned the edge of the Olive View-UCLA Medical Center early Nov. 15 causing a power outage. Officials evacuated two dozen critical patients, and about 130 other patients stayed behind, according to the Associated Press. Several administrative buildings and a power generation plant were damaged. The hospital’s power and backup generators failed, causing hospital personnel to transport 28 people, including 10 neonatal babies, to another hospital. The fire burned 17 square miles and destroyed 487 residences.
Westmont College in Montecito, Calif., was badly damaged by the Tea Fire. Nearly two dozen buildings were destroyed, including 14 of the school’s 41 faculty homes, four student residences, the school’s psychology building (an historic carriage house), the physics building, the math building and two Quonset huts used by the art department. More than 600 students were evacuated to the gymnasium for the night.
The Tea fire was apparently started after a smoldering bonfire built by students was left unattended. While the fire was unintentional, the ten men and women involved with the bonfire – ranging in age from 18 to 22 – may be charged with negligence or recklessness with fire. Westmont College sits immediately below the mountain ridge where the bonfire was located. According to news reports, none of the students responsible for the blaze were from Westmont College or the University of California, Santa Barbara.
The Freeway Complex Fire, also known as the Triangle Complex Fire, forced evacuations in the Chino Hills, Yorba Linda, Brea and Diamond Bar areas. Officials report the fire scorched 30,305 acres, destroyed 187 residential structures and damaged 127 others.
Several schools stretching from Santa Barbara to Orange County temporarily housed evacuees though out the week, while nearly 50,000 residents across Southern California were asked to leave their residences. However, all schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District maintained their regular schedules.
All three fires are 100 percent contained as of Nov. 20. The cause of Freeway and Sayre fires is still under investigation.
