Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007 — Wildfires blown by fierce desert winds Monday reduced hundreds of Southern California homes to ashes, forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee and laid a hellish, spidery pattern of luminous orange over the drought-stricken region. Firefighters described desperate conditions that were sure to get worse in the days ahead, with hotter temperatures and high winds forecast for Tuesday. At least 16 firefighters and 25 others were reported injured since the blazes began Sunday, and one person was killed.