THE RUINS OF SOME OF THE 300 HOMES DESTROYED BY A WILDFIRE IN SAN BERNARDINO NATIONAL FOREST, WEST OF LOS ANGELES ON 23 OCTOBER 2003. IN THAT YEAR, FOREST FIRES ACROSS THE STATE RESULTED IN ECONOMIC LOSSES OF US$3.5 BILLION. PESTS WHICH MAKE THE FORESTS MORE VULNERABLE TO FIRES COULD BECOME MORE COMMON AS A RESULT OF CLIMATE CHANGE. THERE MAY ALSO BE AN INCREASE IN THE WARM, DRY SANTA ANA WINDS, INTENSIFYING THE FIRE THREAT.