Thousands of people in California are leaving their homes as a wildfire threatens the town of Santa Barbara. The rapidly moving blaze has burned more than 500 acres, leading California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to declare a state of emergency. The blaze is a posible arson and is being investigated. Three firefighters are down in hospital with injuries.

How did this start and how did this spread and what is to be done are still being discussed and debated while the fire is raging and the firefighters fighting it out there.

As noted, the possiblity of arson is not ruled out though fires raging at this time of the year is not uncommon an occurence.