15,000 ACRES OF DRY BRUSH CONTINUE TO BURN

Julian Wildfire 10% Contained

JULIAN -- A wildfire that may have been sparked by a National Guard
helicopter continued to burn Wednesday across 15,000 acres of dry
brush and trees in rural eastern San Diego County. The fire, which has
destroyed five homes and killed four wolves at a wildlife center near
Julian, was about 10 percent contained Wednesday morning, said Martie
Perkins, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry.

The town of Julian, known as a weekend getaway for San Diego
residents, was not in any immediate danger, Perkins said. One flank of
the fire, which began Monday, was burning southeast toward
Anza-Borrego State Park and the desert of Imperial County. Another
section was heading northwest toward the Santa Ysabel Indian
Reservation.

Nearly 2,000 firefighters, aided by air tankers and helicopters, were
on the scene, including a detachment sent to protect homes on the
reservation, Perkins said.

California National Guard officials said Tuesday that one of their
helicopter pilots may have set off the fire by clipping a power line
while on an anti-drug reconnaissance flight.

National Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Terry Knight said the service would
do whatever it could to help anyone displaced by the fire and will pay
damages if found at fault. "We'll do everything we can to make things
right," he told reporters.

Besides the five homes, the fire destroyed three barns, eight
vehicles, three recreational vehicles and caused two injuries to
firefighters. Details about the injuries were not immediately available.

Firefighters and volunteers evacuated 26 wolves from enclosures at the
California Wolf Center, but four of the animals died as the center,
about 40 miles east of San Diego, was encircled with flames.