: Might mean absolutely nothing - but there have been multiple
: references to "seven" in recent news stories.

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Wednesday January 3 2:52 PM ET
California Fire Destroys Homes, Forces Evacuations

ALPINE, Calif. (Reuters) - A brush fire driven in different directions by gusting 65 mile-per-hour winds destroyed at least seven homes in a wooded area 30 miles east of San Diego early on Wednesday and closed a major highway as firefighters struggled to control fast spreading flames.

Rescue workers, braving thick, black smoke, moved door-to-door to evacuate about 200 residents and animals in the sparsely populated, mountainous areas along both sides of Interstate highway 8, which were closed to traffic. A local Indian reservation and casino were also evacuated, officials said.

A total of two houses, five trailers and four uninhabited buildings were destroyed by fire, officials said. About 10 miles of highway remained closed while helicopters dropped water around 1,000 acres of affected land.

No injuries were reported, local officials said. However firefighters were bolstering their crews with the expectation the situation could worsen, according to news reports. Evacuated residents were being taken to a shelter staffed by the local Red Cross. Columns of smoke rising 30,000 feet in the air could be seen from 70 miles away, local television reported, as the fire hop-scotched around the terrain.

Local television stations reported the fire began about 4 a.m. EST on Wednesday and was sparked by a car accident. California Highway Patrol spokesman Charles Ravenscraft said it was unclear how the fire started. He added that the cause was still under investigation.

The San Diego area has experienced unseasonably dry weather, hot temperatures and the gusty winds, all leading to a greater danger of brush fires, National Weather Service spokesman Ivory Small said.

Last month was the driest December San Diego has seen since the 1930s, increasing the potential for a dangerous fire, officials said.

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