Wildfires sweep Southern California

**Mr. Authority** · October 22nd, 2007, 08:19 PM

Quote:

LOS ANGELES, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Fast-moving wildfires roared across California on Monday and engulfed large swaths of San Diego County, where 250,000 people were told to evacuate as state officials called in National Guard troops.

More than a dozen fires, driven by gale-force winds, burned out of control across the drought-stricken southern half of the state, quickly charring about 200,000 acres (81,000 hectares), killing one person and injuring a number of others.

With fire crews and state emergency services overwhelmed, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said 1,500 National Guard troops had been summoned, including 200 from the Mexican border, to help with firefighting, evacuations and crowd control.

"This is a tragic day for San Diego County and for California," Schwarzenegger said. "As you know, 250,000 people have been evacuated."

The fires also closed major state highways, schools and businesses and sent plumes of thick black smoke drifting across much of the state, blotting out the sun.

"We live on a mountain and there is only one way out," said Janice Edmunds, 47, who fled her San Diego County home. "We could see flames coming over the hills in Escondido at 3:30 in the morning and we started packing."

Local radio reports said 13 people had been treated at a major San Diego burn center. One person was killed on Sunday by a fire near the Mexican border.

Two fires that merged north of the city of San Diego and scorched 18,000 acres (7,280 hectares) prompted authorities to order 250,000 people evacuated from an area roughly 12 square miles (31 sq km) encompassing clusters of upscale communities, ranches and country clubs.

"It has multiple heads in multiple directions," said spokeswoman Roxanne Provaznik of the state Department of Fire and Forestry.

At least one area hospital was closed by the threat of the so-called Witch Fire, along with several nursing homes.

10,000 PEOPLE EXPECTED AT STADIUM

Southern California is in the midst of its driest year on record after rainfall just a fifth of average levels.

Scores of homes were believed to have been destroyed, but the full extent of damage was not known because dense smoke and high winds limited aerial surveillance.

Gusts of up to 75 mph (121 kph) prevented firefighters from using fixed-wing aircraft to battle the blazes, said state Fire Chief Bill Metcalf.

Authorities designated Qualcomm Stadium, where the San Diego Chargers football team plays, as an evacuation center. The nearby Del Mar Fairgrounds were opened to take in displaced horses and other livestock.

San Diego officials said they were bringing in food and water for up to 10,000 people who could be forced to spend the night in the stadium.

A blaze in the seaside celebrity enclave of Malibu that had blackened 2,400 acres (970 ha) was partially contained, having already destroyed 10 buildings including a landmark castle and a church.

"Our brave state, local and federal firefighters have been battling the blazes for the last 24 hours and they've done an extraordinary job," Schwarzenegger said.

He said President George W. Bush had called to offer help.

Resources were stretched to the limit. Some 10,000 firefighters were on the fire lines and more were pouring in from Northern California. Fire officials said they had asked Nevada for help and would be tapping Arizona as well.

The Santa Ana winds were forecast to gust through the mountain passes and canyons at up to 90 mph (145 kph) on Monday, while temperatures were set to top 90 degrees (32 C).

(Additional reporting by Dana Ford in Malibu, Steve Gorman in Los Angeles and Marty Graham and Ned Randolph in San Diego)

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N22551635.htm

Aww man this is pretty bad.

I hope you members in Southern California are safe and away from danger.

DeadDwarf · October 22nd, 2007, 09:22 PM

Seriously, this sucks bad. I am in San Diego county, but luckily my city is untouched as of right now. My city is surrounded by 3 burning cities. I walked outside and ashes are all over and the sky is black all around, it smells like horrible smoke and the air is hot and muggy.

It's worse than our fires in fall 2003 and that made everyone's throat, eyes and noses hurt from the ashes. I don't think I will be evacuated since I am near the coast and we have little brush and fields, but two of my friends who live 10 miles down the freeway were evacuated this afternoon.

It's BAD!!!

ETA: And it sucks because the two freeways near us have been partially shut down! My husband won't be able to work until the fires are gone and we are stuck in the house since they want everyone to stay in their home if they haven't been evacuated. I had to go to the library at 4:30pm and it was like a ghost town, no one is out on the roads. My friend is stuck in San Diego county since they shut down the freeway and can't go back home to Riverside until they open up the freeway again. My dad can't go to work since the fires are too close to his work. Oh and they kicked me out of the library since the city is shutting down all libraries, court houses, schools, etc. This is insane!

ETA: Shit. It looks like part of my city might be evacuated according to the news. They said to stay home and wait for a reverse 9-11 call. I hope we don't have to leave since all our family and friends are all around here and we wouldn't have any place to go. Also I have a 2 month old baby and a dog, it would be hard to be away from home.

McJag · October 22nd, 2007, 09:47 PM

Damnation! I hope you and your family are safe. It looks REALLY bad on TV. Take your important papers-have them ready & your ID stuff.

I send flights of angels to protect you and your baby.

darksithbunny · October 22nd, 2007, 09:52 PM

Man. I lived in there in 2001 and remember a wildfire that was in or around Riverside. I can't imagine being there now. I miss living there but the fires was one of the reasons I didn't mind leaving. Take care guys!

msdeb · October 22nd, 2007, 09:53 PM

I put my photo in the Malibu fire thread earlier. We're in Imperial Beach, and earlier we were 30-40 minutes from any fire in San Diego. the skies were dark at 11am. today at 4 they announced that the fire was heading towards eastlake, chula vista which is about 15 miles from us. We are at the beach, but earlier today the news channels said that this fire would make it to the coast, they werent kidding!!!! So many homes lost, quarter of a million people evacuated. they are directing some people to the Stadium (where the Chargers play) it looks like New Orleans did when they sent people to the Dome, just better organized.

PrettyGirl · October 23rd, 2007, 04:37 AM

No way, I think the 2003 fires were far worse. We were off work for 4 days back then. However, we were told to stay home today and tomorrow for this one. I go between San Diego and Los Angeles daily..the air is definitely pulluted with all the ash in the air.

My sister in Eastlake (Chula Vista community) is under a voluntary evacuation. I drove down to help her move some items. I never saw so many horses transported in my life. I saw at least 8 or 9 trailers with horses on them in the freeway.

Here in California, we get no rain and no humidity. The only time we see rain is when he take a shower or make it a point to go to the beach. We're lucky because 90% of the time, we get PERFECT weather here in southern California and that's why our real estate is so high. But every few years we pay for it dearly. I guess it's time to pay up.

The state of California is burning to the ground. We're toast (at least for now).

msdeb · October 23rd, 2007, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrettyGirl

No way, I think the 2003 fires were far worse. We were off work for 4 days back then. However, we were told to stay home today and tomorrow for this one. I go between San Diego and Los Angeles daily..the air is definitely pulluted with all the ash in the air.

My sister in Eastlake (Chula Vista community) is under a voluntary evacuation. I drove down to help her move some items. I never saw so many horses transported in my life. I saw at least 8 or 9 trailers with horses on them in the freeway.

Here in California, we get no rain and no humidity. The only time we see rain is when he take a shower or make it a point to go to the beach. We're lucky because 90% of the time, we get PERFECT weather here in southern California and that's why our real estate is so high. But every few years we pay for it dearly. I guess it's time to pay up.

The state of California is burning to the ground. We're toast (at least for now).

parts of Eastlake are under mandatory evacuation. fire is burning up and over San Migues mountain to Bonita and Spring Valley. I'm up at 2:30 because one of our local stations has the news on. i really am going to hate to see the skies when daylight comes

Sojiita · October 23rd, 2007, 09:10 AM

Has Coto de Caza burned yet? I see that the Real Bitches of Whorange County has a new season. Why can't just their houses burn?(with them at home)while everyone else is ok? Life is so unfair.

DeadDwarf · October 23rd, 2007, 11:55 AM

I'm still here, we are not evacuated yet (and hopefully won't be). I woke up at 8 am and the sky is orange and it's dark inside of our house from all the ashes. The garage is horrible from the ashes and I can see the ashes all over the windows. The crappy part is that I can actually smell the ashes when I am inside our house, it smells like one big fireplace in here. We don't have a/c so we are using a humidifier to help the air inside but I can still smell ashes. I am worried about our baby and the air, we might have to go to Riverside to our friend's house if the air gets any worse in our house. I hope this is the worst of it for us.

KrisNine · October 23rd, 2007, 11:57 AM

Soj, not yet, but it's heading in that direction. We were up all night because our friends evacuated out of the area just to the north of Coto. The fire was at their back fence. What a frickin' mess.

San Diego seems to be getting destroyed. I hope all you San Diego folks are safe.

The sinus problems are terrible right now. Burning, nosebleeds, headaches, it's a real mess.

effie2 · October 23rd, 2007, 12:02 PM

DD,i had 16 effing days of that,i know how you feel,just keep the house closed and use a wet towel to cover your mouth and nose when out.Keep an eye on the baby,if she starts coughing,get her away,or if she breaths funny.I pray to God you stay safe and this will be over soon.Take care,girl.

DeadDwarf · October 23rd, 2007, 12:13 PM

Thanks effie2. I haven't opened any windows or doors since the fires first started. I have been watching the baby closely for anything abnormal and so far she is okay. I don't plan to leave the house unless we have to, I don't want her exposed to anything. One of our bedrooms has less ash smelling air since it only has 1 window, I am taking the baby in there with me for the day after I eat breakfast. The first floor of our house has many windows, doors, a fireplace and the air is coming in easier from the outside down there.

There's a crazy guy outside wearing a mask and mowing his lawn!

KrisNine · October 23rd, 2007, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeadDwarf

Thanks effie2. I haven't opened any windows or doors since the fires first started. I have been watching the baby closely for anything abnormal and so far she is okay. I don't plan to leave the house unless we have to, I don't want her exposed to anything. One of our bedrooms has less ash smelling air since it only has 1 window, I am taking the baby in there with me for the day after I eat breakfast. The first floor of our house has many windows, doors, a fireplace and the air is coming in easier from the outside down there.

There's a crazy guy outside wearing a mask and mowing his lawn!

You have got to be kidding??? Now is not the time for that. Unless you're clearing brush.

We have so many friends in San Diego and my boyfriends family is there. What a nightmare.

We're coastal OC, so far, so good.

Grimmlok · October 23rd, 2007, 01:27 PM

doesn't this shit happen like.. all year round for california? How do you guys have any trees left

AliceInWonderland · October 23rd, 2007, 01:55 PM

I'm thinking that it might have something to do w/ the housing glut we have

like what happened in Greece this summer. When ppl need homes (and so far over 1,000 are lost), they have to get new ones right?! as fucked up as that is, its not impossible that some shady assholes would set a fire or two to attempt to fix that problem.

weather.com - Air Quality State Reports

I live and work in coastal L.A.; scary