Catalina Island Fire

George Martinez, right, and Paul Franco, members of an inmate hand crew, clear charred brush from a burned-out hillside in the interior the island the third day after a wildfire swept through Santa Catalina Island off the coast of Southern California Saturday, May 12, 2007.

A large sign thanks firefighters for saving Avalon, seen the third day after a wildfire swept through the area on Santa Catalina Island off the coast of Southern California Saturday, May 12, 2007.

The normally-bustling Crescent Avenue promenade in Avalon is quiet as tourists remain barred from visiting the island the third day after a wildfire swept through Santa Catalina Island off the coast of Southern California Saturday, May 12, 2007.

A North American bison, one of hundreds that roam the island, forages for food in a burned-out part of Santa Catalina Island the third day after a wildfire swept through the island off the coast of Southern California Saturday, May 12, 2007.

Smoke and flame cover a wide area as a wildfire that has consumed thousands of acres continues to burn near Avalon on Santa Catalina Island off the coast of Southern California Friday, May 11, 2007. A wind-driven wildfire threatened Santa Catalina Island's main city and residents and visitors were urged to leave the resort isle more than 20 miles off the Southern California coast.

A California Department of Forestry fire truck is unloaded from a Navy hovercraft at Pebbly Beach heliport near Avalon, Calif., Friday, May 11, 2007, on Catalina Island. Dozens of fire engines from as far away as Fresno arrived through the night aboard giant military hovercraft from the Marine Corps' Camp Pendleton. The high-speed hovercraft can carry 60 tons over land or water.

Smoke from a wildfire rises over Avalon on Catalina Island, Calif. on Thursday May 10, 2007. Avalon has a population of 3,200 that swells to more than 10,000 on weekends and in summer.

Smoke from a wildfire rises over Santa Catalina Island off the Southern California coast on Thursday, May 10, 2007. The 4,000-acre wildfire forced evacuations just as firefighters were mopping up a blaze at another Southern California playground, Los Angeles' sprawling Griffith Park.

People are evacuated from the town of Avalon, Calif., as smoke from a wildfire rises over the town on Santa Catalina Island on Thursday, May 10, 2007. One home and a few small businesses in the canyons outside the city burned, but the weather helped firefighters keep most properties safe. Some 1,200 homes were under voluntary or mandatory evacuation orders.

A raging wildfire approaches the town of Avalon on Catalina Island , Calif., Thursday, May 10,2007. The wildfire burned several homes on the edge of Santa Catalina Island's main city as residents and visitors fled the resort isle more than 20 miles off the Southern California coast. In Avalon, authorities used a bullhorn to urge people to evacuate.

People watch as smoke from a wildfire rises over the town of Avalon, Calif., on Santa Catalina Island on Thursday, May 10, 2007. As flames threatened the city limits of Avalon, hundreds of people lined up at the harbor Thursday night to board ferries to the mainland. Many covered their faces with towels and bandanas as ashes fell.

Smoke from a wildfire rises over Santa Catalina Island on Thursday, May 10, 2007, more than 20 miles off the coast of Southern California. The 4,000-acre wildfire erupted on Thursday, forcing evacuations just as firefighters were mopping up a blaze at another Southern California playground, Los Angeles' sprawling Griffith Park.

Smoke from a wildfire rises over Santa Catalina Island, more than 20 miles off the coast of Southern California, on Thursday, May 10, 2007. The 4,000-acre wildfire forced evacuations just as firefighters were mopping up a blaze at another Southern California playground, Los Angeles' sprawling Griffith Park.

People are evacuated from the town of Avalon as smoke from a wildfire rises over the town on Catalina Island, Calif. on Thursday, May 10, 2007. A wind-driven wildfire threatened Santa Catalina Island's main city and residents and visitors were urged to leave the resort isle more than 20 miles off the Southern California coast.

Two women cover their faces as they watch as a wildfire approaches Avalon town center on Catalina Island, Calif., Thursday, May 10, 2007. A wind-driven wildfire threatened Santa Catalina Island's main city and residents and visitors were urged to leave the resort isle more than 20 miles off southern California.

A fire fighting helicopter passes over a raging wildfire as it approaches the town of Avalon on Catalina Island , Calif., Thursday, May 10, 2007. At least 160 firefighters, aided by four water-dropping helicopters and three retardant-dropping air tankers, battled the flames.

Towering flames approach downtown Avalon, Thursday, May 10, 2007 on the island of Catalina, Calif. The wildfire burned a home and some small businesses on the edge of Santa Catalina Island's main city Thursday as residents and visitors fled the resort isle more than 20 miles off the Southern California coast.

A home burns in Avalon, Calif., on Catalina Island, Thursday, May 10, 2007. Firefighters struggled Friday to protect the resort island's main city from a wildfire that forced hundreds of residents to flee on ferries as ash rained down like snow.