BLAZE

Raging Fires in California

State of emergency declared.

Two fires are blazing along California's coast, forcing the governor to declare a state of emergency. One fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains—only 10 miles north of the city of Santa Cruz—has forced the evacuations of more than 2,000 people and is being fought mostly by air due to adverse weather conditions. The second fire, raging in Los Padres National Forest, has grown to 67,092 acres and is 10 percent contained, the L.A. Times reports. Firefighters have been hampered due to gusty winds there, as well. The declaration of a state of emergency was issued by Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi because Arnold Schwarzenegger was away attending the funeral of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, his mother-in-law.