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California Braces Itself For Dangerous Weekend

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By ELLIOT SPAGAT, The Associated Press

Published: November 3, 2007

SAN DIEGO - Applying lessons learned just a week ago, Southern California is lining up fire crews and aircraft to get a jump on wildfires if the hot, dry Santa Ana winds expected to return this weekend cause major flare-ups.

None of more than two dozen air tankers and military helicopters that arrived from around the country to fight last month's blazes are returning to their home bases, said Francis Solich, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

"If anything breaks loose, they'll be here," Solich said Friday.

The state also has 75 strike teams of five engines spread throughout Southern California, Solich said.

Also Friday, Marines began training with state firefighters at the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, and will be available to join firefighting efforts this weekend if needed.

"We are training them on how to work in our air space. The Marines are great pilots, but they don't have any experience in how we fight fires," said Capt. Matt Streck of the Department of Forestry.

When more than 15 fires began breaking out across Southern California two weeks ago, it took more than 24 hours for nearly two dozen firefighting helicopters to get into the air.

By the time aircraft began arriving in large numbers, the winds were gusting at 100 mph or more in some areas, making it too dangerous to use them for firefighting.

State officials initially said the winds were to blame for the slow airborne response to the fires. That version of events later was challenged by San Diego-area congressmen, some local fire officials and by government records that show it was bureaucracy that kept many aircraft grounded.

The forecast this weekend called for Santa Ana winds gusting to 50 mph near the cities of San Bernardino and Fontana, east of Los Angeles, and in the mountains near hard-hit Santa Clarita.

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