Calif. Island Survives Wildfire Scare

May 12, 2007 California - Water-dumping planes and helicopters helped beat back soaring flames that threatened this quaint Catalina Island town Friday, giving firefighters a victory that allowed nearly 4,000 evacuated residents to start coming home. Even though the six-square-mile blaze was only 35 percent contained, the wildfire and thick smoke were confined to the tinder-dry brush in the mountains of this narrow island more than 20 miles off Los Angeles. Avalon's cobblestone streets, brightly ...