Multiple fires broke out along the 60 Freeway in Diamond Bar today, threatening homes, causing traffic backups and prompting a massive response from firefighters. More than 250 firefighters and numerous aircraft battled what appeared to be eight fires that were reported around 11:45 a.m. in the hills south of the 60 Freeway between the 57 and 71 freeways. No homes were lost, but the flames came close to several upscale hillside subdivisions.
Students at Diamond Ranch High School took shelter in the gymnasium and prepared to be evacuated if needed, but Pomona Unified School District officials said the campus was not threatened by the fire.
The water drops significantly reduced the spread of the fires, which appeared to be dying down as of about 1:30 p.m.
The California Highway Patrol was dispatched to the reports of at least five spot fires. The first came at 11:45 this morning, reporting a "small fire on the right shoulder of the eastbound 60 Freeway at the Northbound 57 Freeway."
The brush fire consumed at least 50 acres, said Maria Antuna, a spokeswoman with Los Angeles County Fire Department.
There are 23 fire engines on the scene and four helicopters are dropping water over the blaze, Antuna said.
Lanes on the 60 Freeway were closed so firefighters could battle the fires.
[Updated at 1:47 p.m.: Just before noon, police officers pulled over a vehicle on the 60 Freeway at Euclid Avenue that was shooting sparks and flames. But officials said they did not know whether that vehicle was connected to the brush fires.]
[Updated at 2 p.m. : Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said they have detained the driver and passenger of a pickup truck that they believe is responsible for the fires.
A small fire started in the bed of the pickup truck and the two people in the cab didn't realize it, said Sgt. Diane Hecht. Burning debris flew out of the bed at multiple points, starting fires in the brush. Sheriff's and fire investigators are continuing to investigate, Hecht said.]
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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/10/18/MN2P1A77BA.DTL&type=printable
Police helicopter shot down in Brazil - 2 die
Flora Charner, Associated Press
Sunday, October 18, 2009
(10-18) 04:00 PST Rio de Janeiro --
Drug traffickers shot down a police helicopter during a gunbattle between rival gangs Saturday, killing two officers in a burst of violence just two weeks after the city won the 2016 Olympic games.
Ten suspected drug traffickers were also killed during the fighting in a shantytown, and two bystanders were injured, officials said.
Bullets flying from the Morro dos Macacos ("Monkey Hill" in Portuguese) slum in northern Rio de Janeiro hit the police helicopter pilot in the leg as he hovered above a clash between rival drug factions, causing him to lose control and crash.
Two officers died, while the pilot and three other policemen escaped after the craft hit and burst into flames. The pilot and a second officer suffered burns and bullet wounds. The other two officers also were burned, one gravely, said Mario Sergio Duarte, head of Rio state's military police.
Officials did not know whether the gangs targeted the helicopter or whether it was hit by stray bullets. Rio police frequently use helicopters to take on gangs that dominate drug trafficking in the city's more than 1,000 slums, but were unable to say whether this was the first time one of their helicopters had been shot down by gang members. Despite increased policing efforts, Rio remains one of the world's most dangerous cities. The violence generally is contained within slum areas, though it sometimes spills into posh beach neighborhoods and periodically shuts down the highway that links the international airport to tourist sites.