Evacuations, prayers, and in some cases, simple garden hoses, are the only defenses many people in southern California have as wildfires continue to rage out of control all the way to the Mexican border. Hundreds of homes and businesses have gone up in flames in the last two days as the fires swallow everything in their paths.

In referring to one of the fires on Monday, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger summed up the overall situation that is giving them fuel, “the fire has been driven, of course, because of the strong winds, the high temperatures, and the dry environment that we have.”

More than a quarter of a million Californians have been forced from their homes as over a dozen blazes burn in several counties. Winds, topping 100 miles per hour in some spots, are not helping the situation, in which close to 300,000 acres have been scorched. Only one death has been reported, and just a handful of injuries.

Fire crews have been working around the clock, some being called in from neighboring states. National Guard troops are also assisting with evacuating residents.