California officials worried wildfires may merge

Wildfires stretching from Los Angeles to the Mexican border continue to burn out of control. At least 15 people have been killed by the fires and thousands ordered out of their homes as the flames advance.

Nowhere has the devastation been greater than in the area surrounding San Diego, where officials are concerned about the possibility of two fires coming together and forming a "superfire."

At least 10,000 firefighters are on the front lines, nearly 3,000 of them fighting the fires ringing San Diego.

Plumes of smoke from burnt-out neighbourhoods across Southern California cast a pall so heavy that breathing actually hurts.

"I kept thinking this morning I'd wake up and this was just a bad dream," said one woman looking at her ruined house.

The fires span a distance of 300 kilometres and devour house after house. By mid-afternoon on Tuesday, officials said at least 1,600 homes had been destroyed.

Some areas, seen from the air, could be mistaken for the surface of the moon. Just days ago, there was a landscape of thick forests, lush valleys and luxury homes. But in just seven days, the wildfires have managed to destroy huge sections of some of California's most scenic and expensive real estate.

Fighting the fires is made worse by Southern California's terrain of steep mountains and deep canyons.

The days of battle have also taken a toll. Exhausted firefighters are being taken off the line to rest, even if it means more houses will burn.

In San Diego, scene of some of the worst devastation, several fires are burning along the eastern rim of the county. And it may get worse.

Two fires are threatening to merge, creating a fire that would cover almost 250,000 acres. A spokesman for the U.S. Forestry Service says a fire of that magnitude would whip up winds, creating its own weather.

Most people have fled, although there are still some who refuse to leave. But even escaping the flames doesn't mean you're out of danger. The air is so bad in San Diego, schools and businesses remained closed for a second day, and people are being told to stay inside.

Some families were allowed to return to see what was left after the fires passed through their communities. Many found their homes destroyed. In one neighbourhood in San Diego, 300 homes have burned to the ground.

California Gov. Gray Davis has estimated the cost so far at $2 billion US. "This may be the worst disaster the state has ever faced," he said, "and is likely to be the costliest."