San Diego is burning! I've never seen it this bad!

[maveric]

The blaze is heading toward the populated areas of Tierrasanta, Santee, Scripps Ranch, Ramona, Kearny Mesa. A SD fire dept. official was on the news saying that this fire may have to burn out at the ocean. I shudder to think of all the homes that would burn in that scenerio. Four people burned to death in a car in Ramona, and many homes have been engulfed. This is all fueled by the Santa Ana wind condition that began yesterday. News footage of the fire looks like a lava flow.

The sky is black looking to the northeast and ash is falling like snowflakes. People at the ARCO station on my block were at the pumps covering their eyes, mouths and noses. The smell is terrible and breathing is difficult. The news stations have preempted all normal programming. Even the NFL games!

In 24 years in SD I've never seen it this bad before.

[Spazito]

1. The pictures I have seen are horrifying

my thoughts are with all those in jeopardy.

[patdem]

2. What is the governor doing??? Who is the governor???

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

4. Daivs is touring the sites, declaring emergency and appealing to Bush

to declare a FEMA emergency. The GOVERNOR is doing his job..the governor elect is probably cruising the foothills looking for the best photo op.

[Zhade]

59. Governor-Select, not elect.

Just a friendly reminder! :D

[Frodo]

81. Let's save the big guns for when we need them, ok?

A pretty large majority of voters (with a high turnout) voted in a way we didn't want them to. Sometimes in politics, you lose.

This isn't like 2000, no court gave it away. No small number of people made the decision.

By using the same language any time we lose ("we didn't really lose - they cheated") we marginalize the party and turn off mainsteam Democrats around the country. We also look like a bunch of cry-babies.

[E Pluribus Unum]

95. Selected by the voters.

[maveric]

5. Davis is still the Gov. and has declared a state of emergency.

Now bu$h will ask for more support for the logging industry and "forest thinning".
"See, see, if there werent any tress there wouldnt be a fire"!
I hope he doesnt use these fires as a platform for that stupid initiative.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

3. David Zephyr has most probably lost his home in Clairemont

They were evacuated late last night after watching their neighbor's house go up. He was in the higher elevation with the hills to his back yard.

Noiretblu and I both attended college in that area.

Hope your place is safe.

Laz and Haele were almost evacuated in Lakeside but apparently the winds shifted.

I was a bit miffed that Barona refused to evacuate last night but am now glad they did lock people down at the casino...it would have been horrible for their guests to have gotten caught in the Ramona fire.

[DemExpat]

28. Have you (or anyone else here) heard from David, NSMA??????

Sounds absolutely frightful!

DemEx

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

48. Yes I spoke with him. He is OK..his home is probably gone

even if it isn't, smoke damage will render it unlivable for some time.

[DemExpat]

55. He got out in time.....

I can only imagine the feelings when one's home is threatened.

:-(

DemEx

[bahrbearian]

6. dosen't the Groper live in SD

must be "Lighting Strikes"

[realFedUp]

84. No, he lives in Los Angeles

Pacific Palisades I think.

[La_Serpiente]

7. Where is the National Guard

oh wait, that's right...they are all the way in Iraq serving Bush and Co.

[DrBB]

8. How close to San Diego??? My wife's there

...attending a professional conference. I assume the city itself is not in danger...?

[maveric]

11. Within the city limits.

Mostly in the NE parts of the city. Tierrasanta, Kearny Mesa, Santee, Ramona. Its being blown to the SW by the Sants Ana winds. Where is she in SD?

[DrBB]

16. She'd be at the big conference center by the harbor downtown

I take it that's a pretty safe area?

[La_Serpiente]

17. That must be a HUGEEEE FIRE

That's really big

[Frodo]

82. I grew up in Tierrasanta (to the extent I ever grew up).

Any idea if there are links to local news?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

12. No DOWNTOWN is safely removed from the fire area

Your wife is most probably OK but hope she isn't flying out today. Air traffic control has been interrupted since the area where ATC is by Miramar has been evacuated.

[patdem]

9. Ya know they have this new CD out....for religious pop music

I see it as a control mechanism....why do people in other countries protest more? because we are more 'controlled' by our preachers. It is truly scarey that the 'new' preachers are so pro government...as opposed to the religions that protested the Viet Nam war????

[La_Serpiente]

10. What's the spread?

How many miles and what districts are they in?

Where do you predict that the fires will stop?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

13. There are fires all over the southland

Large swatches of the inland empire...the San Diego fire is probably covering and jumping across about 10 sq miles.

There are also fires up north in Ventura.

It really looks like HELL here.

[La_Serpiente]

15. Oh my gawwd

it must be...

Anyone got an aerial map?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

20. here are some maps

Sorry looking for the one So cal Dem posted last night

[gristy]

24. Just how many separate fires are burning?

How the HELL did so many fires start at the same time? Arson?

[La_Serpiente]

27. It's been rumored that it could've been arson

I'm not sure. I read it somewhere.

[WoodrowFan]

86. NPR said arson was suspected this am.

The first first was seen to have started when two white men threw something out of a van window. Police are lokking for them.

[nostamj]

29. CNN reported arson in a report I heard earlier n/t

[maveric]

30. Perhaps the bu$h forest thining in progress?

Car backfires have been blamed before as has campfires in migrant camps or a careless cigarette thrown out a car window.
A few years back a firefighter was setting the fires. The guy was caught, convicted and is serving time.
I'm a tinfoil hatter so it wouldnt surprise me if they have been deliberately set to push a certain political agenda through. :tinfoilhat:

[frylock]

35. santa ana conditions this weekend.

We also experienced record heat for the past two weeks. It's extremly dry out here, and the wind is blowin like crazy!

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

38. There are approxiamtely five major fires now, two that have joined

There is the Grand Prix fire which is the largest..arson is suspected in that one. The fire in the Ramona area was set off by some jackasses shooting cans in a canyon in a restricted area that set off a spark and (IIRC) hooked up with the Pendleton fire that has been burning a few days.

There are two major fires in the Simi valley and Ventura areas that still run the risk of joining,

[Champion Jack]

44. One of the fires is threatening the electrical transmission grid

[maveric]

46. A stretch of I-8 has been closed.

Between Lake Jennings and Tavern Road.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

54. Yes the Grand Prix fire is the one where the grid is

this may get MUCH worse.

[Champion Jack]

43. Ventura county

simi valley, It stared near Magic mountain and spread west towards Piru. The 126 is shut down from the 5 to Piru

[maveric]

14. Lets hope that it wont go to the ocean.

Fire departments and the CDF are pretty good at containing wildfires, so lets hope and pray that it wont spread into other populated areas. The crews could use some help from the national guard. Oh yeah, they're in Iraq!

[frylock]

18. just showed a remote from blossom valley..

if it hops over Interstate 8, that could set the hills in El Cajon ablaze. This thing could burn all the way to the border! I'm in La Mesa, and giant pieces of ash are falling everywhere!

[La_Serpiente]

21. Do you think

that it will reach your place? I hope not.

[frylock]

25. i don't think it will..

but I live about 2-3 miles away from Mission Trails Park, and the fire is burning the hills just on the northwest side of that area. I hope I don't have to evac!

[maveric]

22. I'm in La Mesa too, and I have to work in El Cajon later today.

I'm inside my apt. and my eyes and nose are burning. The smell is overwhelming too.
Lets hope it doent spread to El Cajon. That would be disasterous!

[frylock]

32. if it does get into el cajon and dehesa..

that would indeed be disastrous. I can't even imagine what it's like in El Cajon right now. Good luck getting to work! I was thinking of taking my camera up to Mt. helix, but it is looking real bad outside.

[maveric]

34. I bet that the smoke is being sucked into that "box" in EC.

I leave for work in 1,1/2 hours so I dont know what I will face.
Air quality is terrible in La Mesa. My eyes are burning.

[frylock]

36. it's bad.

this 'eclipse vision' is really pretty freaky too!

[La_Serpiente]

19. We should set up a fund

to help all those people.

[maveric]

26. The people of SD have reached out and donated $$ and clothing

many times before in events like this. People out here are very generous when fires and other disasters hit. I'm sure that donations are flowing as we speak.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

23. Here is the Grand Prix fire as of 9 AM

?click

[Kathy in Cambridge]

31. What a horrible tragedy

I hope our fellow DUers are out of danger. Stay safe everyone! Our thoughts are with you!

[Old and In the Way]

33. Wettest summer I can remember here in Maine

Really feel awful about what my DUer fieands are going through on the West Coast.....:-(

[maveric]

37. KUSI news just reported a new fire by Otay Lakes/hwy 94.

Now the South bay is threatened??
WTF!!!

[frylock]

39. shit! if this gets into tijuana, there will be lots of people in danger.

[maveric]

40. OMG!! I didnt think of that. All those "Colonias" made of cardboard

with not running water/hydrants! If its bad on this side of the border, Its twice as bad on the other side.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

41. Actually there IS fire activity in Mexico according to USGS fire maps

I saw last night.

[La_Serpiente]

42. WHOLLY SHIT

YOU MEAN IT'S COMING UP FROM THE SOUTH ALSO???!!!???

Do you think all of San Diego is a target?

[maveric]

45. Please!! Dont get me going!!! <tinfoilhatter>

:tinfoilhat:

[aquart]

91. No, I think it has eucalyptus trees and cedar roofing, though.

Eucalyptus is so full of oil it all but explodes in a fire. Cedar roofs are lovely and tinder.

There's your conspiracy, sweetie.

[Emboldened Chimp]

47. My sister's in Escondido!

Her and her husband have a home there. Are the fires nearby?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

50. Yes several homes in Valley Center area near Escondido have burned

you should call her.

[maveric]

52. OMG!!! Up there too.

[maveric]

51. I dont think that they are burning up there.

The flames are SE of there and the Santa Ana is blowing to the SW.

[knight_of_the_star]

49. Yeah!

We're lovin' it out here :sacrcasm off:

I live in Carlsbad, so the fire is a bit removed from here, but it could still burn pretty close to here. SD county is in for some serious trouble, I can't remember the last time that the fires around here in this time of year have gotten so bad. Usually they're brought under control pretty quickly. Thing is, out here big fires area fact of life. Its the only natural disaster that can and does hit this part of the country anyway.

[frylock]

53. they just shut down interstate 8..

from Lake Jennings Park Rd. east to Tavern. I have friends in Blossom Valley/Quail Canyon. I hope they're OK!

[Timefortruth]

56. What about Poway?

Are they safe?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

58. No the fire has burned setions of Scripps Ranch and is headed

that way..when I spoke to Haele a while back areas that way were slated for evacuation...it depends where in Poway.

[frylock]

60. there are fires in nearby miramar and scripps ranch..

but they are southwest of Poway, which is the direction the wind is blowing. The fire in Ramona could cause problems for Poway if not contained.

[maveric]

61. They just said that the fire jumped Pomerado Rd. Which is in

Poway. I think that the eastern extreme of that street is away from the populated area. But that is my guess using the info I am getting from Ch-8.

[Timefortruth]

64. So someone around Twin Peaks and Espola

is either evacuated or in danger?

[Zhade]

57. I'm in Santa Monica, two minutes' drive from the Pacific.

I could smell the fires the moment I walked outside. This is BAD stuff.

[Timefortruth]

63. Deleted nt

[Bertha Venation]

62. I want to go home.

I should be with my sisters. They're not in danger, except from breathing smoke & ash like every other Southlander. But still, I should be with them.

[maveric]

65. Where are they now?

The air is thick with smoke here in La Mesa and your eyes will burn being outside for more than a couple of minutes.
It looks like nuclear winter.

[oceanpoetry]

67. eerie!

It does...I am in OC and it is bad...the best word I can describe it as, is eerie! really eerie to be looking out at a red-orange sky.

[Bertha Venation]

80. Huntington Beach

In Orange County. They're telling me the ash coats like snow, and going outside is suicide to the eyes. They had to shut the house, and they don't have A/C.

I remember a really bad one in '78. The sky was brown, the sun, red, for several days. I imagine that's what it's like now.

[maveric]

66. Fire just crossed I-15 heading for Miramar.

Which is a huge Marine Corps air station.

[Emboldened Chimp]

68. Just talked to a friend in Simi Valley

He watched the fires burning from his house from 3am-6am. He has helicopters and planes constantly flying over. But he says the fires are far enough away.

[maveric]

69. Now a plane just landed on I-163!

No details yet but Montgomery field is in that are and i beleive that it has been closed.
This is getting more bizarre evey minute.

Wish me luck I have to drive to work in the east county.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

70. Wow! Shit

Small plane? Good luck Maverick...bet the hospital will be busy tonight.

[maveric]

73. I hope not!!

Thanx NSMA!

[frylock]

71. good luck!

I just took a little drive to grab a bite, and it is miserable out there!

[revree]

72. Lost hunter shooting off a flare supposedly started Valley Center fire

according to one local news story. Looking for a link.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

74. It was a flare? Haele said it was shooters shooting cans in a canyon

restricted area that set off the spark.

[revree]

75. GETTING CLOSE TO RANCHO SANTE FE AND FAIRBANKS RANCH

And power outtages all over town.

[revree]

76. ANYBODY REMEMBER THE HARMONY GROVE FIRE?

I was evacuated. That was scary. This is TERRIFYING by comparison. My hubby and I are so jittery, and everyone in San Marcos is on edge.

[revree]

77. Heard on police scanner - ESCONDIDO begins evacuations

eastern section nearest Valley Center. Energy outtages, we are being asked to shut off all unnecessary power. Gotta start packing up just in case. I'm in San Marcos area, near big open space area that goes straight towards Escondido...

Love to all you So Cal DU'ers. Stay safe, OK?

[salin]

78. Good luck and stay safe

good idea to be packed... but hope that it will be unnecessary.

[Robbien]

79. Just posted this satellite link in another thread

Reposting it here also. It is a satellite link to the fires in California.

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/satellite/animation.san.1km.vis.html

[Lurking Dem]

83. Can someone give me specifics

on the situation in Escondido? I am caring for a friend who recently lost her husband and it looks like now she'll also lose their home. She's severely depressed and my concern for her is grave.

What parts of Escondido are threatened? She lives near The Meadows.

24 hour news is useless. We need info on airport closings/delays, road closings, and evacuation site lists. If you don't live in CA you are getting nothing but pictures of flames - no usefull info at all.

She doesn't know if she can get home or if she has a home to get to. If she manages to land at Sand Diego can she even drive to Escondido?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

I posted this in the thread in LBN but am really starting to get quite desperate for information.

[Lurking Dem]

87. kick

nt

[Capn Sunshine]

90. Best I can do

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/index.html

There might be some info here

From my experience the info pours in around noon as the editors try to assemble what they have.

Good Luck SD. I went through this all weekend up here in Ventura Co.

[Lurking Dem]

93. Thanks.

I've had some good luck and some bad with local feeds - I imagine they're swamped.

Even the local stuff seems rather general and vague.

Does anyone bedsides me remember when news was NEWS and not entertainment/variety?

[maveric]

85. Just worked a double. Its 7:20 AM.

The freeways are empty. All schools are closed and people are urgerd NOT to go to work. The air is filled with smoke and you can see flames from the freeway. Ash is everywhere. It looks like Nuclear Winter in San Diego.
Eleven are confirmed dead and firefighters are missing. God help them all.
I'm going to sleep now for I have to be back at work at 3:00 PM. I hope that I have better news later on.

[JHB]

89. Map from KABC:

[THE_TRUTH_HURTS]

88. d

d

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

92. TOo bad you are tombstoned

I would like to ask your freeper friends how they like the car tax now (pays for FIRE SERVICES)

[jumptheshadow]

94. My partner was called into work early here in NY

Her company has declared an emergency because its California workers can't reach its main office. They're temporarily running operations out of NY now.

She may be at her office for a long, long, long time.

Folks, my best wishes go out to you.

[Heddi]

96. What about Redlands/Riverside?

My aunt & her family live there and I"m not too up on the California geography---I've just emailed her but haven't gotten a response.....does anyone know if those areas are affected/burning/about to burn?

thanks---californians (DU'ers and non-du'ers) all have my prayers.

[KoKo]

97. You all hang in there, this is just awful, and I'm so sorry about David

Zephyr's house and all the rest of the misery you all are going through. I've been through hurricanes, but this sounds worse. Not knowing when it will end. I'm saying a prayer....and sending (((vibes)) for those who don't believe in that stuff. Keep the reports going.

[maveric]

98. Gray Davis in San Diego assessing the damage.Wheres Arnold?

n/t