July 4, 2008 State of emergency declared in California

BIG SUR, Calif. (AP) - Another wildfire is forcing evacuations
in California.

Authorities have told residents of about 1,700 homes near Santa
Barbara to leave. The blaze has grown to more than eight square
miles and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of
emergency to free up resources to fight it.

So far, it has torched about six outbuildings, a mobile home and
several cars.

Hundreds of wildfires are raging throughout the state. A
volunteer firefighter who died in the hospital yesterday has become
the season's first reported firefighter death in California.

Meanwhile, firefighters are battling a massive wildfire that's
threatening the coastal resort town of Big Sur. The town is usually
packed with tourists this week, but has been largely abandoned amid
the approaching flames from the 100-square-mile wildfire.