NU Online News Service, Sept. 1, 3:03 p.m. EDT
After doubling in size on Monday, the "Station Fire" in California threatens homes and commercial properties, with a total insured value of more than $17 billion, modeling agencies AIR Worldwide and RMS have reported.
What's more, the wildfire–stretching up to 25 miles east to west and 18 miles north to south–is not expected to be contained until Sept. 8, according to reports.
AIR spokesman Kevin Long emphasized that the $17 billion amount is the total insured value of all the properties within the fire's borders–not the figure expected for insured losses.
The median home value for the area impacted by the Station Fire is just over $500,000, AIR said, and the $17 billion in total insured values breaks down to $5.4 billion in Glendale, $5.74 billion in La Ca?ada and $5.9 billion in Altadena–the communities within the border of the fire.
AIR said the fire has burned more than 85,000 acres in the Angeles National Forest, which merges "abruptly with upscale suburban exposure in Glendale, La Ca?ada, Altadena and Pasadena."
RMS put the acres burned at 105,000.
Both AIR and RMS reported that the fire is currently only 5 percent contained.
RMS said at least 50 buildings are reported to have been destroyed and two fire-fighters have been confirmed to have been killed.
Tomas Girnius, senior scientist at AIR, said, "The Station Fire is currently less than half a mile from Mount Wilson, a key telecommunications center overlooking Los Angeles. The Station Fire has destroyed just 21 homes over its six-day lifetime; however, 10,000 homes are under evacuation orders, including parts of both Acton and Altadena."
The fire's spread has been aided by hot, dry weather, Mr. Girnius said, but limited by moderate winds below 10 mph.
RMS said winds are expected to stay between 5 and 10 mph, for the next several days, but hot and dry conditions with little to no chance of rain are also expected to persist.
According to the Insurance Information Network of California (IINC), 18 homes have been destroyed by the Station Fire, 10,000 homes are threatened–as are 500 commercial properties and 2,000 other structures–and air support may be limited due to convection currents.
Calif. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency in Placer, Los Angeles, Monterey and Mariposa Counties due to wildfires. The governor also signed an executive order to waive fees and help recovery efforts for the victims of wildfires in Los Angeles, Mariposa, Monterey, Placer, Santa Cruz and Yuba Counties.
Today he declared a state of emergency in San Bernardino County, where a separate fire, called the Oak Glen Fire, is burning, according to RMS, threatening thousands of structures.
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