Matt Ortega

In case you were unaware, Southern California is burning. Calitics, the statewide community blog for California progressives, has done a tremendous job for their coverage and constant updates. If the blogs gave out Pulitzer Prizes for topic-based coverage, this team most definitely deserves it.

David Dayen, better known as D-Day, takes a look at the presidential candidates’ responses to the Southern California fires. Most notably, Governor Bill Richardson (D-New Mexico) is donating $10,000 from his campaign fund to the Red Cross to assist with the nearly one million displaced Californians. Senator Chris Dodd (D-Connecticut) took the time to point out President Bush’s failed Iraq policy of utilizing National Guardsmen as regular army units.

The Republican candidates were, on the contrary, woefully silent on the fires, despite one candidate — Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine, Calif.) — represents many of the areas that are affected. (Rep. Hunter’s campaign website features one news article.)

Brian Leubitz will point you in the right direction to donate blood or money with a series of updates throughout the course of the day.

Back in June, a Calitics post wrote about Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s dangerous cutbacks for fire departments.

Jennifer Woodard Maderazo writes that the fires threaten to cut off power to the San Diego-area.