
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, October 29, 1993                   TAG: 9310290100
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LAGUNA BEACH, CALIF.                                LENGTH: Medium

`TOTAL DEVASTATION'

Stubborn strips of flame zigzagged through Southern California on Thursday as sea breezes helped firefighters gain ground against a firestorm that destroyed nearly 600 homes and burned 116,000 acres. Some residents returned home to find their dreams had gone up in smoke.

A procession of fire refugees walked through the smoke along a coastal highway into Laguna Beach, the posh coastal resort in Orange County half-gutted by a wall of flame that destroyed more than 300 homes.

Authorities blocked the Pacific Coast Highway, allowing residents to return only on foot or bicycle. Hundreds of people abandoned their cars to make the trip.

"It's just total devastation," John McMurray said as he used a shovel to poke through debris that was once his home. "This whole neighborhood is burnt. We haven't been able to salvage anything."

Valerie Coleman dabbed tears with a towel as she watched smoke rise from the remnants of the apartment she lost Wednesday.

"I have nothing," she said.

President Clinton declared disasters in five counties and federal agencies organized help for 25,000 displaced. Police hunted the arsonists responsible for some of the fires and patrolled neighborhoods to prevent looting.

Cool sea breezes signaled an end to the hot, dry Santa Ana condition that on Wednesday fanned 13 blazes into firestorms from Ventura County, north of Los Angeles, to the U.S.-Mexico border. The gusty winds blow through Southern California every fall from the deserts east of Los Angeles.

A growing army of firefighters seized the chance to steadily encircle the fires. Some raged out of control; others were partially contained; few of them threatened more residences.

Altogether, dozens of firefighters were hurt, and two remained in serious condition Thursday. Thousands of others were exhausted by all-night struggles.

Just north of Laguna Beach, fire damaged the ritzy Emerald Bay community but spared homes owned by Warren E. Buffett, named America's wealthiest man by Forbes magazine, and former baseball commissioner Peter Ueberroth.

By Thursday, firefighters had contained more than half of the 10,000-acre fire in Laguna Beach, 40 miles southeast of Los Angeles. Police said the cause was arson.

by CNB