Cruise worry over California fire

Cruise spoke about the fires at the London premiere of Lions for Lambs
Actors Tom Cruise and John Travolta have spoken of their anguish as California fires led to a quarter of a million people being evacuated.

At least one person has died during wildfires across the Los Angeles region, home to many celebrities.

At the London premiere of movie Lions for Lambs, Cruise said: "It's unfortunate it really is. I wish everybody well back there."

Travolta said: "All I know is the people I know are safe and I'm glad."

See map of Malibu blazes and nearby celebrity homes

He added: "I flew over that today and it's always a dramatic impression you get from this."

At least 655 homes have been destroyed in fires which followed a record summer heatwave.

Fires stretch south to the Mexican border, putting homes at risk in seven counties where 200,000 acres (81,000 hectares) have been scorched.








Thousands more homes are threatened as hotter temperatures and high winds are forecast.

'Real scared'

The coastal area is home to many celebrities, including actors Mel Gibson, Barbra Streisand, Richard Gere, Pierce Brosnan, Dick Van Dyke and Ted Danson, singers Sting and Olivia Newton-John, director James Cameron and music mogul David Geffen.

Singer Britney Spears said: "I don't think it touched my house. I'm real scared."

About 1,500 National Guardsmen have been brought in to help firefighters.

After visiting charred homes in Malibu, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said it was a "tragic time" for the US state.

US pigeons to get contraceptives

The pigeon population has risen to 5,000 in Hollywood

Birth control is to be used on pigeons in California in an effort to combat the "unmanageable" mess their increasing numbers are causing.

Animal rights groups support using the contraceptive in preference to other methods such as gates which give electric shocks and poisoning.

OvoControl P, which interferes with egg development, will be put in bird food in new rooftop feeders in Hollywood.

The pilot program is expected to show results within a year.

Laura Dodson, president of the Argyle Civic Association, the group leading the effort to try the new contraceptive, said: "We think we've got a good solution to a bad situation.

"Cleaning up after the pigeons has become unmanageable and this could be the answer."

Estimates suggest that about 5,000 pigeons live in the Hollywood area.

Their rising numbers have been partially blamed on people feeding the birds.

Hollywood area's pigeon population is expected to shrink by at least half by 2012, Ms Dodson said.