1. WILDFIRES LEAD TO STATE OF EMERGENCY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA May 14-15, 2014 Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, Vienna, Virginia, USA

2. MAY WILDFIRE MAP IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

3. THE WILDFIRE SEASON HAS STARTED EARLY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

4. PHYSICS OF WILDFIRES

5. FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO WILDFIRE SEVERITY Continuing near-record heat, howling Santa Ana winds and extremely low humidity are creating situations favorable for outbreaks and rapid spreading of wildfires in Northern and Southern California this year.

6. So far this year, CAL FIRE, the state's department of forestry and fire protection, has responded to more than 1,350 wildfires; the average for this time of year is 700.

7. THE MONTH OF MAY Record high temperatures in the 90s and near 100 degrees F being approached or exceeded in many major California cities including Los Angeles and San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Fresno, Long Beach, and San Jose,

8. MAY 14 AT CAMP PENDLETON 11,000 residents in military housing were ordered to evacuate as fire fighting crews were fighting a brushfire near Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base north of San Diego. The fire started at about 9:45 a.m. and quickly spread to more than 100 acres because of the Sana Ana winds.

9. ONE OF NINE WILDFIRES BURNING ON MAY 14-15

10. SAN DIEGO COUNTY

11. SAN MARCOS A City of about 85,000 people in San Diego County 21,000 EVACUATED

12. SAN MARCOS: RESIDENCIES AT RISK

13. CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY: SAN MARCOS

14. SAN MARCOS: FIRE FIGHTING

16. FLASHBACK TO 2008

17. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES Three major wildfires burned 13,000 acres near Los Angeles and San Diego October 13-14, 2008

18. SOUTHERN CALIFORMIA WILDFIRES: OCT 13-14

19. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES More than 2,000 firefighters and a fleet of water- and retardant- dropping aircraft battled the fires. Containment was hard to achieve.

20. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES 60 mph Santa Ana winds were rejuvinating the fires Thousands were evacuated from the area, including the marine base at Camp Pendleton.