Damn. We're on Fire.

[3113]

Southern California that is. Nothing new or unexpected; it's part of living in this part of the country, there's going to be a fire season, and some years it's going to be bad. Thanks to years of drought conditions and the high, hot, Santa Ana winds that whipped up last night and are probably going to keep blowing through Tuesday...this fire season is already terrible. Damn. A lot of people have lost their homes, and a lot more are going to end up homeless before this is over.

There are at least seven-to-ten fires raging now: Malibu, Orange Country, Canyon Country, San Diego....

The winds (which put today's dry temperatures into the 80's) are still blowing like crazy

 

[rgraham666]

Damn.

Stay safe. *HUGS*

 

[Misty_Morning]

Wish I could at least send you some of our humidity....


take care and keep the garden hose at hand.

 

[R. Richard]

I used to live in SoCal. I know what you are going through. Keep safe!

 

[Guest]

Damn.

Be careful. Stay safe.

Keep us informed?

 

[Stella_Omega]

The smoke from the Malibu fire has covered the Western sky. The sun went low and darkness slammed down a half hour early.

The Old Man and the whelp were out in Canyon country today. They got there, had about an hour, looked up-- and the fire was coming over the hill. They made tracks out of the area.

The wind is gusting so hard that, when it hit the van face-on, the speed dropped by ten to fifteen miles per hour. The windscreen is pitted now-- it wasn't this morning. We could hear it last night as it started; the two palm trees were rattling. This morning, the fronds were shredded.

 

[MagicaPractica]

That scares me worse than a tornado. Stay safe.

 

[3113]

Wish I could at least send you some of our humidity....

We could use it. 7% humidity, winds blowing 21 mph. I'm not in a danger zone myself, but you can see, smell and breathe in the smoke.

Many of the areas that are burning have horses and stables, and there was an amazing video of about twenty or so horses released from a corral, galloping away from the smoke and the nearby fire.

 

[Fallenfromgrace]

I hope that things don't get as bad as predicted.

 

[damppanties]

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Awwww 3 had to start her own stay safe weather thread!?

Two ways I'd rather not die: by fire or water. :x

Stay safe, you So Cal-ers.

 

[impressive]

Just spoke to Bel, briefly. Fires are a few miles from his home, but he said it's not in immediate danger. We didn't talk long, 'cause the authorities are asking folks to stay off the phones. The kids are still in school, but he just lost power -- so don't know how long that will last.



Take care of yourselves, SoCal Litizens!

 

[Stella_Omega]

Awwww 3 had to start her own stay safe weather thread!?

Two ways I'd rather not die: by fire or water. :x

Stay safe, you So Cal-ers.

My preferred way to die; of longevity.

3 and I are in very urban areas, not much danger.

Which reminds me-- last week there was a house fire about a mile away. It was a newer house, and the smoke was stenchful with polymers. It occurs to me that from now on another danger from house fires will be cancer about twenty years later, for anyone in the vicinity.

 

[3113]

Fires are still going. We just got an e-mail from relatives in the San Diego area that they'd been notified by the police to be ready to evacuate. They've packed up a car, but, God, I just can't imagine it. A home isn't just a roof and a bed; it holds your memories, your life. Your identity and history hangs on its walls, resides on its bookshelves, in the linen closets and drawers. Things you kept from birthdays and anniversaries, heirlooms passed down through generations.

I know. Things are just things. But we imbue things with the power of nostalgia. Impossible to imagine losing a lifetime in a matter of hours.

 

[3113]

Which reminds me-- last week there was a house fire about a mile away. It was a newer house, and the smoke was stenchful with polymers. It occurs to me that from now on another danger from house fires will be cancer about twenty years later, for anyone in the vicinity.

Yeah, that's the one thing Stel and I are facing right now. We're all coughing and sneezing. Air quality is bad and going to stay that way for a while. Rather than clearing the air, the winds are just spreading the smoke.

I'm glad someone heard from Bel. The power lines going down were undoubtedly from the high winds.

 

[English Lady]

I'll keep you all in my prayers -stay safe.

 

[Vermilion]

Fires are still going. We just got an e-mail from relatives in the San Diego area that they'd been notified by the police to be ready to evacuate. They've packed up a car, but, God, I just can't imagine it. A home isn't just a roof and a bed; it holds your memories, your life. Your identity and history hangs on its walls, resides on its bookshelves, in the linen closets and drawers. Things you kept from birthdays and anniversaries, heirlooms passed down through generations.

I know. Things are just things. But we imbue things with the power of nostalgia. Impossible to imagine losing a lifetime in a matter of hours.

I was thinking about this earlier when I saw the new reports. The laptop makes life easier, because most of my photos, e-mails writing and music - all in one place.

If I grabbed my jewellery and memory boxes I'd have most things that meant something... but if it was my *parents'* house it'd be exponentially harder. All my baby clothes and toys, my mum's heirlooms - clothes, jewellery, photos, samplers, knick knacks - furniture, the cats, school projects, artwork....

How do you choose?

Good Luck and love to all of you affected/possibly affected
x
V

 

[cloudy]

We had to evacuate once because of fire when we lived in the valley. It was really scary.

Y'all stay safe. Please.

 

[Belegon]

We have power back for now.

It's hard getting solid news because all the firefighters, police and utility people are busy.

So far things haven't been closer than maybe 3 miles... like I said, hard to tell how far until it gets really close. North and south skies are brown to 15-20 degrees above horizon. The southeast (Harris Fire) is the one that would threaten me, has burned an estimated 20K acres so far but little structural loss reported. Theoretically, it could get within a little less than a mile before it had to start going through houses to get to me.

The Witch Creek fire is north and has already burned many homes. Est. 14K acres burned. It has jumped the 15 Freeway and could theoretically burn all the way to the coast.

There are about seven other "active" fires.

The home where I grew up is in a fire path but is not currently threatened. My mom still owns it. I will go there again if necessary, like last time. My mother and grandmother have prepared evacuation plans, i.e. what to grab and go. We are prepared as we can be.

The big problem is the Santa Ana conditions. We are hot and dry with heavy winds. Winds have gusted up to seventy MPH at times. Because of wind and smoke, aircraft cannot fight the fire.

I'll update when I can, but if you don't hear from me, it is more likely that it means power loss than home loss. Try not to worry 'bout me. There are people who have already lost homes, there has been a fatality and four firefighters were seriously injured near here. Please direct your healing/hopeful energies towards those unfortunates.

 

[rgraham666]

Stay safe, everyone.

 

[R. Richard]

I used to live in San Diego and I am trying to contact peopole I still know there. No answers so far.

 

[Belegon]

I used to live in San Diego and I am trying to contact people I still know there. No answers so far.

R.Richard, cell circuits are very busy and A LOT of us are sans power. If they live between the 78 and the 56 and east of the 5 they have probably been evacuated. Escondido, Poway, Scripps Ranch, Rancho Santa Fe, Ramona, San Diego Country Estates are all largely evacuated.


PM me if I can help. I will continue checking as long as I have power.

 

[English Lady]

*hugs* Bel -prayers for everyone effected

 

[Belegon]

Just heard on TV that schools in my area will be closing shortly and will be closed tomorrow. Apparently San Ysidro High School has a fire in canyon behind it. That would be a bad development for me...

 

[R. Richard]

R.Richard, cell circuits are very busy and A LOT of us are sans power. If they live between the 78 and the 56 and east of the 5 they have probably been evacuated. Escondido, Poway, Scripps Ranch, Rancho Santa Fe, Ramona, San Diego Country Estates are all largely evacuated.


PM me if I can help. I will continue checking as long as I have power.

Thanks Belgeon. I have e-mail messages out to everyone concerned and some of them are now getting back to me. Some are evacuated, some waiting, some safe. Stay safe, Belgeon!