The death toll in Southern California’s wildfires has hit seven as evacuees begin returning to their homes. Late Thursday, border agents found the remains of four people near the Mexican border. The victims are believed to be undocumented workers attempting a dangerous cross-border trek. President Bush briefly toured the region with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger yesterday and pledged federal assistance to victims affected by the blaze. The fire has destroyed 1,775 homes so far.

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders: “We’ve got to be cautious and make sure it’s safe for people to return. But these firefighters are out there trying to do a myriad of things, including getting fires under of control, and we’ll work with residents to get you back in as soon as possible. But we need to remember, it has to be safe for you, so that we don’t have to come in and re-evacuate or come in and get you out.”