AP: Wildfire Burns Calif. Historic Structures

Wildfire Burns Calif. Historic Structures

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

(07-11) 21:35 PDT Yucca Valley, Calif. (AP) --

A wildfire burned several structures Tuesday in a desert locale where dozens
of Hollywood Westerns were filmed, threatened other towns and prompted 1,000
people to flee.

Winds up to 20 mph fanned the fire across 6,000 acres, said Doug Lannon,
a battalion chief for the California Department of Forestry. The fire had
originally started as part of a series of lightning-sparked blazes. It was
brought under control, but erupted again.

The blaze burned through historic Pioneertown, and television news footage
showed several structures burned to the ground. Several homes and outbuildings
were destroyed, Lannon said.

About 200 homes in the region were threatened, said forestry Capt. Debbie
Chapman.