While the fires rage in Southern California, DC legislators are talking about what they can do from Capitol Hill. Jodi Breisler sends this report.
Over half a million people have been forced to evacuate due to the fires in Southern California. President Bush has declared the seven counties to be a federal emergency which will send funds to the area.
San Diego Congresswoman Susan Davis says it will be needed as experts predict this will be the most destructive fire the area has seen.
Davis : I'm hearing that they suspect this is going to be worse than the Cedar fire in terms of the damage, and the acreage, and the homes lost, the devastation in the area. So that's considerable.
Both of California's Senators have spoken with federal officials and San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders to find out what's being done and what they could do to help.
Democrat Barbara Boxer says Federal Emergency Management Agency officials are on their way.
Boxer : Federal government is very, very involved right now -- with equipment, with personnel. FEMA is flying out there, as I understand it, as we speak. And of course we need to do everything we can. I understand that the Marines are going to be helping as well.
Boxer intends to fly to San Diego either this weekend or next. She says she's sending out several of her top level staff to be a link, but doesn't want to get in the way of the efforts on the ground. Boxer says she needs to be in Washington to keep pushing a federal response.
Her colleague Dianne Feinstein says she hopes FEMA has learned its lesson from problems in New Orleans, especially with 20,000 residents at Qualcomm Stadium.
Feinstein : What I would want to urge, is that FEMA now does its maximum to see that cots and food and water is located throughout the region in areas, announces those areas where people can be housed for a period of time.
The California congressional delegation is eagerly scanning media reports. Davis, Feinstein and Boxer all say regardless of what they urge the government to do, more depends on the weather forecast.
From Washington, I'm Jodi Breisler for KPBS Radio.
