[IowaStatePhiPsi]

No letup for firefighters in California
Monday, July 19, 2004 Posted: 3:32 PM EDT (1932 GMT)
Firefighters battle a wildfire Sunday near Santa Clarita, California.

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Weather forecasters predicted little relief Monday for firefighters battling wildfires that have scorched thousands of acres and forced hundreds of people to leave their homes in California.

Firefighters tackling the 5,700-acre Foothill blaze, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, said they hoped to contain it in a canyon Monday afternoon.

The wildfire began when a red-tailed hawk hit power lines and caught fire, said Jim Dellamonica, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The bird fell to the ground, setting plants on fire, he said.

edit: supposed to be a joke.