The normally blue skies of northern California were thick with smoke Thursday as more than 1,000 forest fires burned across the region, according to dpa. One of the worst blazes was burning out of control near the renowned coastal beauty spot of Big Sur, having already burned 15 houses and threatening 500 more. It also threatened a historic library at the site, where famous author Henry Miller spent his final years. The authorities in many areas warned of "unhealthy" air quality, the San Francisco Chronicle reported under the headline Having a Bad Air Day, as smoke blanketed much of the vast state and was thick enough to mask the sun in many areas. Seniors and children were advised to stay indoors with windows closed to minimize breathing problems. Many of the fires were triggered by a spate of weekend lightning strikes and meteorologists were calling for similar conditions for the end of this week. An army of more than 11,000 firefighters backed by 48 water- dropping aircraft and with support from the neighbouring states of Oregon and Nevada were battling the flames. According to state authority Cal Fire the fires had burned more than 534 square kilometres. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger visited affected areas in Big Sur and in the Sierra Mountains foothills on Wednesday and called in the National Guard to boost firefighting efforts. He called on people not to buy fireworks for the traditional July 4 US Independence Day celebrations, as it was too dry and too dangerous to set them off. Earlier this month, Schwarzenegger had declared a state of emergency in California because of the dangers related to the dry weather. In the Mendocino region alone, more than 130 fires were burning, forcing hundreds from their homes, while in the Shasta Trinity forest more than 150 fires were burning. Initial reports were of little damage to property. Yet the fires are causing huge concern coming early in the season due to low rainfall over the winter and spring that left brush bone dry at least two months ahead of schedule. California's worst fire months are usually in September and October, when hot dry inland winds blow across the south of the state. Last year more than 2,000 homes were destroyed by the late summer fires, causing more than 3 billion dollars in damage.
