Schwarzenegger, Feinstein and Boxer join to ask Bush for help with firestorms

In the wake of the continuing firestorms ravaging the state, California's big political guns, U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer (both D-CA), joined with Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger late Friday to urge President Bush to declare a state of emergency as well as issue a Federal Disaster Assistance Declaration for the state.

Representing the entire California Congressional Delegation, Feinstein and Boxer wrote:

".... Currently, there are an estimated 1088 fires burning throughout California.  265,000 acres have been burned; 284 homes have been damaged or destroyed; thousands have been evacuated.  Volunteers, state and federal officials have quickly responded to these fires and are doing an excellent job.  But the overwhelming number of fires has stretched State and Local resources to the limit.  We need more help.

This is a disaster of major scope and consequence.  There have been fires in thirty counties; the governor has declared a state of emergency in seven counties; all of California's resources are battling these fires.  Still, fifteen percent of all fires on state land do not have a single firefighter fighting the blazes.  This is not due to negligence- our fire agencies have had to make the hard choices to abandon some fires in order to battle others.

These fires are the product of more than 8,000 lightning strikes and record-low rain fall.  And meteorologists say there is more to come.  Experts say that there are more lightning strikes, and more fires on the way."