local
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posted on October 27, 2003 07:30:28 PM new
Greetings to all!
Yes, we are fine. We awoke this morning to a very smoky environment. Around noon, it seemed to pick up again & I turned off my computer & prepared to evacuate again. Police came by & said to be ready. All of the neighbors were out on the street watching the black smoke behind the hill above our development (Lake Dixon area). We knew if we saw a flame & if the wind came south we'd be gone. We had some air support come in & then the wind changed & blew it east.
We unpacked the cars, so we could go to work tomorrow. So things are starting to get back to normal in North East Escondido.
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sparkz
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posted on October 27, 2003 07:34:08 PM new
I live in Central California near the foothills to the Sierra Nevadas and we are no stranger to devestating fires. Everyone here has their fingers crossed that nothing starts up here as all of our professional rangeland firefighters are in Southern California. I understand there is a contingency plan to bring in crews from Northern California in the event of problems here. Let's just pray that the Santa Ana winds reverse themselves in a couple of days as predicted so these firefighters can get a handle on the situation and bring these fires under control.
On a seperate note: Sanmar - If they shut down Cuesta and the Ventura county fires get too close to I-5, Southern Ca. will effectively be cut off from the rest of the state. THAT could have a lot of negative implications. I think it's about time to start thinking about the Native American rain dances.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
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wgm
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posted on October 27, 2003 07:44:08 PM new
local - thank you!! that is wonderful news!! 
"I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it." - A Few Good Men
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wrightsracing
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posted on October 27, 2003 07:54:52 PM new
All of you are in my prayers and in my thoughts.
I remember when we had the fires here in Fl, and it was worse the worst feeling.
Please keep us updated and stay safe.
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lurkyloo
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posted on October 27, 2003 09:09:21 PM new
Well, my neighborhood is being opened back up to residents only, so my mom is going to go back home tonight. My sister is now packing up things just in case her area of Jamul gets the call to evacuate. She has more time to prepare than we had, but she doesn't have any insurance--so she could potentially be in a much worse situation than we would have been. I guess what must have saved us was the wind calming down and the San Diego River (such as it is) having enough "marshy" green growth that the fire fizzled instead of roaring through.
I feel so blessed that we were spared, and my heart goes out to those people who lost everything in this tragedy.
Not lurkyloo on eBay
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fenix03
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posted on October 27, 2003 10:22:15 PM new
Local - glad to hear from you and that all is well. Does everyhing getting back to normal mean that I'll get my Ppstal and UPS service back? 
Lurky - Good to hear that things as good for you too. It must be so frustrating to be so far from up to date news on some so important. I can't imagine the relief when you are finaly able to let out that breath. Hoping all stays well for your sister.
Updated numbers on the San Diego fires alone is 300,000 acres and 900 structures which includes an updated number of 300 homes in Scripps Ranch.
There was an incredibly example in the difference in situations shown on the news tonight when a fire came up on two neighboring homes in a brushy area. first home had brush cleared and had set up sprinklers around the house and on the roof for firefighters to turn on if needed. They also left a water pump hooked up to their pool. Firefighter were ble to use those and their own resources to save the house. The neighbor had not cleared anything and had palets and other items piled up against the house outside - once the embers hit those piles everything just took off and they were unable to save the house.
Lurky - I found this one while I was posting this - it was linked from the KSWB site. It is a street by street address listing of the Scripps home confirmed lost so far.
[link]http://www.scrippsranch.org/special/fire_address_list.asp[/link]
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
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bpwilson
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posted on October 28, 2003 12:17:57 AM new
Good morning everyone -
I've been following this thread for a while now and am just in shock at the loss that these terrible fires have caused. Though I've been through many tornadoes in my life and wondered which funnel cloud would be the one to take everything away - I've never been through the horror of fire. It is one of my biggest fears as well and my heart goes out to all of you in So. Cal.
While looking through information about the fires and their current whereabouts, I came upon the following website: http://www.nifc.gov/fireinfo/nfn.html (sorry it doesn't show up as a link) It is the National Fire News website. If you scroll down a little, it gives state by state summaries, which is then broken down by incident. I don't know if I am giving information that is redundant - if so, I apologize. I had gone through all of the news agencies' sites and I did learn a little more from this one than I had previously.
Tennessee seems so very far away from Southern California. I feel that I am unable to assist anyone from here and it is an extremely helpless, unsettling feeling. To the ones on this board that have been placed in harm's way: please know that our thoughts and prayers go out to you and your loved ones. We are also praying for the firefighters - that they stay safe and that they are able to contain these fires soon. We are praying that the Santa Ana winds die down today as predicted. We are praying that no one else loses their home or worse, their life, in these fires. We will continue to pray for you and we will spread the word for others to pray as well. My kids are going to mention it at school before their Moment of Silence this morning. I would be glad to mention this to our local radio stations to see if there is anything they can do to help supply items to those in need. Anything - anything at all that we can do from here, please let us know. If anyone knows of any children that are in need of clothing, shoes, toys, etc., just say the word. Between myself and friends, we cover the gammut where kids are concerned. We do not take anything for granted around here and we gladly help wherever we can. As I said, just say the word.....
Much love, hope and prayers -
Penny
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fenix03
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posted on October 28, 2003 01:01:29 AM new
Penny - the biggest help we are getting right now is in the form of help for the fire teams. Nevada is sending down 2 water dropping helicopters and50 trucks and arizona is adding another 25 trucks so those crews will be a huge help as the fires come closer to the national park area. The eastern movement is taking the fires away from some of the more populated area but right into an area that is all national forest so has less access for the fiteteams to be able to combat it.
The red cross right now is dealing with most of the fire relief efforts. I'm sure any items you want to send would be dealt with by the Red Cross.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
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micmic66
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posted on October 28, 2003 03:15:44 AM new
I am shipping a box of Nintendo game to Sanbernadino today!
Here is what our emails say....
"Thanks John, payment recieved. Will ship the games tomorow. I could not help but notice your address............I hope you are not in the way of the fires..best wishes!"
"The one fire got to within 500 feet of my apartment complex but everything is fine now. Looking pretty nasty everywhere in southern california though. I think I last heard that over 350 square miles have burnt already.
John"
"Take that back 650 square miles.
John"
As of this morning the last email I sent him was returned to me by mailer deamon.......UNDELIVERABLE!
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lurkyloo
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posted on October 28, 2003 05:54:05 AM new
fenix, thanks so much for the link. It looks like the fire is moving westward along Pomerado, so I'm crossing my fingers that my friend's house is safe. I looked at one of the videos from the signonsandiego website, and it showed several residents talking about the fire. One fellow had just put on a new roof (getting rid of shake shingles), and another fellow had done the same thing several months ago. It sounds like their homes were spared, so I don't know why ANYONE would keep shake shingles on a house in an area like that (or, in fact, anywhere!). I'm sure they're banned now, but these homes were probably built before the ban. Your story about the difference in the two homes is amazaing. A relatively minor investment in time, maintenance and planning can truly save your home.
I just found out that a family from my church had their home burn to the ground. They're in a semi-rural area, and were awakened by a phone call from a neighbor. They got out with the clothes on their backs and that's about it. They count themselves extremely fortunate, however, because 4 people from their neighborhood died and another 4 spent the night in a swimming pool (there's only one road leading out of their community, and these other people obviously weren't able to leave before it got closed).
Not lurkyloo on eBay
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lowprofile
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posted on October 28, 2003 09:42:49 AM new
Help from BC - California just needs to ask.
Dont know why they are not asking for help.
We have the best forest fire fighters in the world. After the fires we had here this year they have gained even more knowledge.
Should get the Mars Bombers down there.
Read This.
http://www.canada.com/vancouver/story.asp?id=EA73CA45-A651-4AA1-813D-DC6C0DE9DFE7
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kiara
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posted on October 28, 2003 09:55:26 AM new
http://www.canada.com/vancouver/story.asp?id=EA73CA45-A651-4AA1-813D-DC6C0DE9DFE7
If Homeland Security loosens up a bit and changes the rules about the planes being allowed to land to refuel I know the firefighters are more than willing to help out.
It's not like they are going to drop a terrorist or a guy with a bag of B.C. Bud into the midst of the fires. 
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marcn
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posted on October 28, 2003 01:51:57 PM new
I had quite a few customers actually ask how I was doing since I am in Simi Valley. All is OK where I am. I put some pictures from the fire on my "About Me" page for them to see. They are quite dramatic, especially the ones from a friends house.
Take a look!
http://tinyurl.com/sozb
Marc
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dejapooh
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posted on October 28, 2003 02:29:12 PM new
Sorry, Report card time, so I had a ton of paper work to do. The fire got about 2 miles away before they got control of that part. Houses within about .75 miles were evacuated. All is well.
BTW, So much for saying "comes from a smoke free home"
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. B. Franklin
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wgm
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posted on October 28, 2003 02:45:19 PM new
This is a site I found that has some incredible photographs -
http://www.pbase.com/milest/sandiegofires&page=1
"I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it." - A Few Good Men
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kliggin
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posted on October 28, 2003 03:19:03 PM new
Hi Folks,
My heart goes out to everyone in CA. I was born and raised in Los Angeles. Fire is definitely the enemy there.
I've been living in the South for over 18 years and still get alarmed when I smell smoke. In the county, people are permitted to burn their lawn and debris.
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neroter12
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posted on October 28, 2003 03:51:07 PM new
Fenix, We got the rain here today instead of you guys. I am so saddened to see all these people, homes and land in ruin. Its just awful. Tweakin the misdirected mojo.
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celebrity8x10s
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posted on October 28, 2003 04:04:23 PM new
fenix-
My brother-in-law and company are on their way to San Diego as they've been pulled off the line up here and were told to head south. He said however, that since they are now under federal authority, they have spent most of the day just sitting around waiting to be transferred out. More red tape involved and slowing down progress. These same regulations are keeping necessary aircraft and equipment grounded in other states as well.
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wgm
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posted on October 28, 2003 05:03:43 PM new
fenix - I have read in several different news reports that they are going to start pulling the firefighters out as they are past exhaustion and need some relief - while noting that move is going to be putting many more homes at risk. I realize these guys need a break - they have done a phenomenal job; but I must be missing something. Is there not relief/reenforcement coming in for these guys?
I thought you may be hearing a better side to the story there - what I'm hearing doesn't look too good.
I saw photos of Scripps Ranch - the devastation there is absolutely horrible - my heart just aches for those people. Seeing some of the residents sifting through the debris looking for something - anything - was very hard to see.
dejapooh - glad you are alright!
All of you are still in my thoughts and prayers - sure wish I could send you some of the rain we are getting right now!
"I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it." - A Few Good Men
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fenix03
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posted on October 28, 2003 06:57:04 PM new
I know we have crews ocoming in from other states which will help alot since they are fresh workers. A lot of the guys that are coming in from other areas of the state are like Celebritys brother-in-law, they are already dead tired from days on the line in other areas. The federal buracracies are are just crazy. The military has their fire fighting planes ready and waiting for us but before the can take off the NATIONAL forestry service has to request them which they have not yet done. At a press conference today California officials tted that the military officials in charge had given them their home numbers so that even if the approval came in the middle of the night, the could send the orders but they have not recieved the request yet. Everyone is frustraated.
Another problem with tese fires is that wih the winds whipping about the fires are spreading on all fronts. They can't out a crew in front of it because there is no "front" - it's massing in multiple directions. Multiple that problem by something like seven different fires with one being dozens of miles wide and it's a hellaciously daunting task. I have nothing but admiration for the guys on those fronts. Not manuy could handle the level mixture of stress of the fight and frustration of the losses for 12 hours at a time, grab a couple hours sleep on the ground or in their truck and then get up and do it again for days on end. That is an incredible bread of man (and woman) that can do that and my hat goes off to every one of them. Too baad our beaurocrats don't work that hard.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
[ edited by fenix03 on Oct 28, 2003 06:59 PM ]
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ewora
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posted on October 28, 2003 11:55:33 PM new
I just this evening returned from a 2 week vacation...you guessed it San Diego and LA. We were in San Diego on Mon the 20th - Friday and drove up to LA. There was only one fire in San Diego when we left. We watched the fires all weekend and it was so smokey all over LA on Sunday we decided to drive back to San Diego. The smoke was so thick the sun just looked like an eerie orange ball in the sky. Even with the windows closed and the air conditioner on the smell in the air was awful. We had just gotten to the south side of LA when my friend in San Diego called and said she was evacuating and we should not come to San Diego. We turned on the radio and they were telling people to stay off the roads and that the airport was closed. We turned back north and drove back thru LA and up past the fire near highway 5. It was getting very close to the Six Flags Magic Mountain park. I tried to take some pictures of the flames on the hillside but they were a bit blurry. So many highways were closed and so many people evacuating that we spent 5 hours driving south and then back north thru LA. Another 3 hours north to Fresno. We changed our return flight to leave out of San Francisco rather than San Diego. The airline and the rental car company were very helpful and understanding. I have never been so glad to be home in my life. Cold and snowy Anchorage never looked so good. What a nightmare for the people in Southern California.
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rarriffle
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posted on October 29, 2003 03:11:41 AM new
my son and his family live in Lakeside and my granddaughter lives at Big Bear. I spoke to my daughter-in-law on Mon morning and she said Big Bear was threatened and they expected Misty to be evacuated at any time. The freeways were essentially shut down and the fire was still in the mountains in front of them.
her brother lives in Julian and her father lives in Ramon and she said the fire was very near to them at that time.
does anybody have any new news on those areas?
my younger son did live in el cajon when he was in the navy, the apartment building he had lived in burnt down over the weekend.
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fenix03
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posted on October 29, 2003 07:29:17 AM new
rariffle - one of the local news breaks just now said that they were having some success controling the fire in Julian so far (two of the nearby communities were almost total losses). I have not heard anything about Ramon.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
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Dlegoflamb
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posted on October 29, 2003 08:35:50 AM new
We have heavy smoke and black skys way out in Joshua Tree.
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lurkyloo
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posted on October 29, 2003 12:29:46 PM new
rarriffle, it seems to me that the signonsandiego.com website is doing a better job now. At least they have better maps in the last couple of days to show where the fire is/was. Sadly, I don't see how Julian can be saved. The last I read on the web, the fire was about a mile away from the "downtown" section. It would be particularly devastating to lose that gem in the mountains. Not only is it a lovely historic town, but the apple orchards there are an incredible source of tourism and income. Even if people rebuild their homes, it will take many years before orchards can produce again. 
Not lurkyloo on eBay
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rarriffle
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posted on October 29, 2003 12:47:50 PM new
how about the wild animal park? is it safe? the last time were out there the fires had gotten awfully close to the park.
I tried to call my son this morning but there was no answer. I will try again later tonight and hopefully be able to contact them.
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fenix03
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posted on October 29, 2003 12:57:16 PM new
The wildAnimal park apparently is safe. They have gone to great efforts there to keep the areas surrounding it clear and had controled burnes earlier this year to clear out the shrub brush. Only some of their smaller animals in the outlying area are at risk at the worst of times.
As for Julian - it seems that saving Julian has become a point of stubborn pride for the firefighters up there. There are approx 100 trucks surrounding the area. After 90% of Cuyamaca was lost yesterday they have kind of dug in their heels and said that they just are not going to let the fire have Julian.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
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wgm
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posted on October 29, 2003 04:45:49 PM new
http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Maps/Los_Angeles.html
[b]A minor earthquake occurred at 3:44:48 PM (PST) on Wednesday, October 29, 2003.
The magnitude 3.6 event occurred 1 km (1 miles) WNW of Simi Valley, CA.
The hypocentral depth is 14 km ( 8 miles).[/b]
I just saw this at Drudge Report - talk about adding insult to injury! Are any of you in CA hearing about an earthquake?
"I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it." - A Few Good Men
[ edited by wgm on Oct 29, 2003 04:50 PM ]
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fenix03
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posted on October 29, 2003 04:55:30 PM new
I'm not up in that area but from years living in LA I can tell you, 3.6 is just a lil wobbler. It's not until you get into the 5s and 6s that anybody really starts noticing.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
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marcn
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posted on October 29, 2003 06:19:27 PM new
Well since I live on the west side of Simi Valley, it was a bit more than a wobble since it was right underneath me!
Marc
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