Update: Now 4 Firefighters Perish Battling Cabazon Blaze (Investigators: Arson Fire Palm Springs)

Los Angeles Times ^ | 11:20 AM PDT, October 26, 2006 | Michael Muskal and Maeve Reston

[TASMANIANRED]

Prayers for their families.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I pinged some of them....as well as others that were interested.

[hsmomx3]

What a nightmare this is--those 400 people trapped. God help them!

[NaughtiusMaximus]

WOW! Never seen anything like it! Thanks.

[KylaStarr]

Are you getting any of the smoke and ash in your part of the county? We've got quite a lot in the Lakeside/Santee area this afternoon. Crazy Santa Ana winds!

[ArmstedFragg]

Victoria and Baseline's in Ventura

SO's Sheriff's Office.

[hsmomx3]

I haven't heard anything yet on them and I have the tv on FNC unless they said something while I was posting on FR in the other room.

[ArmstedFragg]

400 people trapped

Keep up the good thoughts, they're doing fine so far. One broken leg reported, but it's probably a firefighter. Looking at the photos of the park, it looks like a very defensible area, and there's units with them, so they should be fine. Doesn't hurt keeping fingers crossed or interlinked just in case, though.

[hsmomx3]

Trust me, prayers work.

I never knew how powerful prayer really was until a situation arose having to do with my husband.

[pissant]

I understand. I've spent alot of time in the LA area and know how tinderbox dry it gets. But methinks its arsonsists, not SA winds thats the scourge.

[CaliGirl-R]

Was that the fire started by the lost hunter? He shot off a flame gun or something?

[EDINVA]

Prayers for the lost firefighters, those injured, and their families, as well as those on the line. Bless them all.

[Rte66]

Prayers up for all in harm's way. Lord, please protect the firefighters from the evil intentions of the firestarter(s) and help all the innocents to escape injury or damage.

[AmeriBrit]

Still have clear blue skies here, but can see the smoke in the distance to the south of us and we can smell it. Praying it doesn't head in this direction, there's so much dry brush with all these wide open spaces it would only take one spark to start a desert brush fire that would travel at the speed of lightening. It's been so long I can't remember the last time it rained. The winds usually carry the rain storms right over our little basin without dropping any.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

Hey,Fragg,,,Have the given a forward speed and direction on this fire ???
Prayers Up...