Nation/World Briefly: Race to snuff wildfire before winds arrive
Published 10:28 pm Sunday, September 20, 2009
LOS ANGELES — Air crews continued to drop water on the massive wildfire still burning in the forest north of Los Angeles on Sunday in anticipation of hot, dry winds moving into the area this week.
The arson-caused fire, which erupted Aug. 26, was 93 percent contained as four helicopters dropped 80,000 gallons of water on smoldering areas in canyons in the San Gabriel Mountains, fire officials said. Crews began dropping retardant Saturday near the slopes of Mount Wilson.
A warming trend is predicted to bring lower humidity and Santa Ana winds of 15 to 20 mph, and that could make it harder for crews to snuff hot spots.
The fire has destroyed 89 homes, caused two firefighter deaths and scorched nearly 281 square miles.
Florida: Mother, 5 children found dead; father flees
The husband of a woman found dead in a Naples apartment along with her five children boarded a flight for Haiti, and police said Sunday the couple had a history of domestic violence calls to their homes over the past decade. Mesac Damas, 33, who has family in Haiti, left Miami on Friday, said a sheriff’s spokeswoman. Sheriff’s officials said they want to talk to Damas, although they are not calling him a suspect. The victims found Saturday were Guerline Damas, 32, and her children, who range in age from 11 months to 9 years old. Batten would not say how they died.
Hawaii: After a fire, judge orders man to quit smoking
A Maui judge has ordered a 19-year-old man who pleaded no contest to starting a restaurant fire with a flicked cigarette to stop smoking for a year. Makaio Bachman-Majamay of Makawao was originally charged for allegedly igniting the shake roof of the Wei Wei Bar-B-Q Restaurant in Pukalani in July 2008. Second Circuit Judge Joel August ordered him to do community service and pay a $1,025 fine to fix the roof. He also told Bachman-Majamay not to use tobacco for a year.
Massachusetts: Pregnant teen killed at her birthday party
A pregnant teenager has been shot and killed at a birthday party for her in Boston. Police say the 18-year-old was attending the party at her best friend’s home early Sunday when she asked several uninvited guests to leave. Witnesses said the men left the second-floor apartment but once they were outside one of them fired several gunshots at the three-story building in Hyde Park. The pregnant woman was looking out a window and was struck by a bullet near her collarbone.
Japan: Bear hurts nine at rest stop
A bear injured nine people at highway rest stop in central Japan before being shot dead in a souvenir shop, a firefighter said Sunday. The black bear seriously injured four men Saturday afternoon in Nyukawa, about 140 miles west of Tokyo, said firefighter Tomohiko Akano. The 4-foot bear first attacked people at a bus parking lot and then entered a lodge where it was trapped in a souvenir shop and shot dead by a hunter, according to media reports.
Sudan: Rebels deny defeats in northern Darfur region
The Sudanese army said Sunday it has cleared several more areas of rebel control in North Darfur province ahead of peace talks set for October. Rebels denied the government claims. The state news agency quoted the military saying it had targeted in particular the Sudan Liberation Army of exiled rebel leader Abdelwahid Elnur, the largest rebel movement . The government claims could not be independently verified.
Thailand: King in hospital
Thailand’s 81-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world’s longest-serving monarch, was hospitalized Saturday night after suffering from a fever and fatigue, the palace announced Sunday. It said the monarch, who was also suffering from a loss of appetite, was being treated with a glucose drip and antibiotics while doctors diagnosed his illness.
From Herald news services
