EARTH California -- 18 Nov 2008 -- One hundred eighty-seven homes were destroyed by the Freeway Fire in Southern California in mid-November 2008.

EARTH California -- 18 Nov 2008 -- One hundred eighty-seven homes were destroyed by the Freeway Fire in Southern California in mid-November 2008. Driven by the Santa Ana winds, the fire spread out of the Chino Hills into communities in the foothills of the mountains. More than 30,000 acres were scorched by the fire. The top image shows the Chino Hills north of Riverside Freeway and west of Chino Valley Freeway, a mostly undeveloped area that encompasses Chino Hills State Park. Small cities and residential areas encircle the mountains. The burned area is charcoal, and it stretches across most of the Chino Hills. The lower image is a detailed view of the edge of the burned area in northwestern Yorba Linda. The fire crossed Telegraph Canyon and made forays southwestward into neighborhoods. One arm of the fire encircled Carbon Canyon Regional Park. Southeast of the Riverside Freeway (shown in the large image), is a part of Chino Hills State Park called the Coal Canyon area. The area has a dull greenish-brown color that is typical for the dry woodland/chaparral ecosystems native to the area. (In this part of California, bright green vegetation is the product of irrigation, for example, golf courses and lawns.) The Coal Canyon area was added to China Hills State Park in 2000, and it was the only part of the 14,000-acre park that was not burned, according to local news reports -- Picture by Lightroom Photos / NASA