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Thousands Flee, Homes Lost As Flames Return To MalibuFOR the second time in a month, fires have swept out of Californias Santa Monica Mountains to devastating effect. Fuelled by tinder-dry undergrowth, and pushed by wind gusts of 100 km/h, the fires destroyed at least 49 houses on Saturday. One of the homes was a $US5 million ($A5.7 million) property belonging to Flea, the Melbourne-born bass player of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. No cause has yet been established for the fires, which, had burned 1820 hectares, threatened hundreds of houses and forced the evacuation of more than 10,000 residents. Six firemen suffered minor injuries. Malibu and its adjoining canyons rest in relative seclusion, 40 kilometres west of downtown Los Angeles. The residents are the rich and famous of the entertainment and other industries. The area is also a firetrap, bounded by the low, dry undergrowth and wind-funnelling canyons of the western edge of the Santa Monica Mountains. The enclave was the first to be hit by last months huge fires but was largely spared compared with elsewhere in southern California. Forewarned of a return of the dry and powerful Santa Ana winds, 1700 firefighters had been moved to the area. But it was a testimony to the ferocity of the winds and the amount of ready fuel that the fires became a conflagration so quickly. Los Angeles County Fire Department captain Bob Goldman described battling flames of 25 to 35 metres high as he and fellow firefighters tried to save three houses. "Basically, we were caught in a firestorm," he said. Residents were forced to evacuate before dawn, with only minutes notice. Up to 14,000 were ordered out of their homes, although about half were being allowed to return. It is not known if Flea, also known as Michael Balzari, was among them. The bass player, 45, who moved to the US with his family when he was aged five, confirmed to a Los Angeles Times reporter that he had lost his house. Balzaris text message to the reporter said the house "had burnt to a crisp". It is one of two that he owns in Malibu. The other, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, is reportedly valued at $US10.5 million. The first house, set on a steep hillside surrounded by dense bush, with four bedrooms, four bathrooms and a separate recording studio, had been on the market for $US4.8 million. Tag CloudExternal InformationAdditional InformationBritish Fans Aren?t Fair Weather...On Holy Day, Iraqi Soldiers Stop Bomber; 7 of Them Die... On Deathbed, Suharto Avoids Answering for Crimes... Eight dead, dozens injured in Rio train crash... Where Am I?News Main Page - Business - Thousands Flee, Homes Lost As Flames Return To Malibu |
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