California Fires Claim Flea’s House

Firefighters battling a wildfire that’s blackening tony homes in the hills of Malibu said Sunday it was 40 percent contained and they hoped for full containment sometime Tuesday.

 
Anguished residents watch homes burn Saturday in Malibu, California.
 
Only a month after the Canyon Fire destroyed homes in the coastline community, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Michael Freeman said they had reasons to be optimistic about fighting this new blaze, including decreasing winds and fuel and the number of working firefighters.

Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, whose real name is Michael Balzary, told the Los Angeles Times by text message that his home had "burned to a crisp." 

The 4,650-acre fire had burned 51 homes and outbuildings and damaged 27 others by Saturday, sending billows of black smoke over the horizon. Although the number of buildings destroyed by the fire is expected to increase, fire officials expected to have the blaze fully contained by Tuesday, said the Malibu municipal Web site.

Source CNN