News; California fire zones in state of emergency

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency for four California counties as a massive wildfire raging north of Los Angeles almost doubled in size overnight and threatened more than 12,000 homes.

Schwarzenegger said eight fires are burning in California, the largest one in the foothills north of Los Angeles that scorched 425 square kilometres of brush and trees, destroyed at least 53 homes and threatened 12,000 more.