Fire in the Sky - San Diego Wildfires are close....

I need to go to sleep but I wanted to quickly post this - We live on a canyon in San Diego - in 2003 the Cedar Fire, which burned hundreds of homes, came within 2 miles of our house. The fire which is burning in San Diego right now is following the same path. The air is thick with smoke and ash is falling like black snow. As of now, we are okay. I know a lot of people who have been evacuated or who are just standing by and waiting for the word from the authorities for them to leave. The highways leaving the evacuation sites are plugged to a trickle. Our media here is non existent! The local independent station - KUSI went off the air at 1:00 AM and will resume at 4:00 - The networks are running INFOMERCIALS! What assholes. I am in a media blackout during a crisis. Terrific.

Anyway - If we leave, I will be taking my laptop and will keep you posted.

:scared:

I will do my best.

It is BAD here. My house is safe right now but our local Air America station, which is about 3 blocks from my home has, due to popular demand, decided to forgo AA's regular political programming and will be keeping Stacy Taylor on for a little while longer... He should be kept on the air for the next several hours but..well, let's just say this - Clear Channel would probably like to see us liberals go up in flames.

I have put out the word, to friends and our local liberal community, that since my home is in a pretty safe area people are welcome here. The air is thick with smoke - smells like when you sit downwind of a campfire.

I will be turning on my AC to filter out as much of the smoke as possible - my eyes are burning and I am sitting at my kitchen table with all windows and doors closed.

Thank you for all the kind words and good wishes. Southern California is burning down

It appears they went down around 0930 local time; couldn't get KLSD, couldn't get KSDO, - only Mexican and Xtian on the AM band. KSDO's news team apparently took over FM101.5 KGB (Classic Rock and Morning Zoos) to broadcast fire coverage.

I think their streaming also went down, I can't even stream 101.5 KGB from their site. Hmmm. Isn't there some FCC rules about stations transmitting unscheduled dead air?

It's scary to think that both KLSD and KSDO were supposed to be "emergancy broadcast stations" for San Diego County and when we have an emergancy, THEY'VE BEEN KNOCKED OFF THE AIR!!!???

Anyway, stay safe. Laz and I are watching the CBS affiliate and commiserate; we used to live off Mapleview and HWY 67 in Lakeside and remember the Cedar fire 4 years ago.

Haele

El Capitan is where you used to live. The Rodeo grounds are being used to house large animals and fowl - I think they may be keeping the local FReepers in a cell there...

thanks for keeping informed.

...I'm streaming them on the net -- fire reports 24/7.

Stay safe and keep us posted.

TAKE NO CHANCES

Take care of yourself!

Stay safe!

:hug:

After having been through what I went through last night...

:hug:

I know you'll be careful...:hug:

:hug:

How are you now? Please keep us posted. :hug:

:hug:

:cry:

Please stay safe.

Here's what we did; we're in Ventura County and about 5 miles from the Santa Rosa fire.We're ten miles s of Castaic, where a big one is going. We're also proximate to N Malibu and if the wind shifts it could come right through the canyon. The smoke is like fog here.

It's out for now but this wind could make anything happen. We went through this a couple of years back as well.

Pack up everything you cherish and put it in the car(s); Leave room for any animals you have.
Fold bedclothes and keep them by the front door next to the suitcases full of clothes. Sleeping bags and tent if you got'em.

Go to the hardware store and buy those eye protection goggles; they're 1.99 each at Osh. In the paint section, there are those masks that cover your nose and mouth, buy a shitload of them.
If you have any fire extinguishers at home, station them near the front door. These come in handy for spot fires that break out. Buy some hoses to add to your others, you want to be able to shoot water at your roof and under your eaves, and you might have to take the hose inside and get into your attic in case the embers start raining down and the fire guys aren't in your neighborhood yet.

Make sure you have leashes for pets near the doors as well. Good luck, and check back with us! I lived right there in Rancho Bernardo where it's burning now. Stay alert and use your gut instincts about this.

Our cable is out and it is really like a life line - I have the f-ing radio on but I want to see the maps and know just how close the fire is coming. There can't be any rooms left in town and getting out is going to be impossible -- What way would we go? North to the fires in Orange County? East right into the fire? South into Mexico? Or just fucking jump into the ocean?

We have our stuff ready to go but where to? We are only a mile from Qualcomm Stadium where all the evacuees are - We don't see any flames here but the smoke is choking us when we go outside - we have are AC on filtering out 90% of the crap.

I keep dialing Time Warner but all I get is a busy signal.

Gas stations are closed down in the outlying areas. We filled the tank today.

waaaaaa!
As i finish this the cable is back on.

Praise Jeebus

Things are momentarily in a lull here; it looks like the fires won't turn into a threat for a few hours if it happens. We're staying packed.

Good luck; I hope you bought those masks, they really help.

:kick:

So scary ... She's having trouble getting info...

CNN has some astonishing footage....

you folks in danger.... do not waste time. if it looks like it MIGHT be time to get out, get the hell out...

the area in question is heavily populated. I used to live right where the fire was near the road to Lake Poway. I'll bet my old house is toast.

...
this will sound really stupid to californians but is the bay area going to get fires?

First of all, please be careful and be safe. I will be thinking about you and everyone else out there. Just be safe. Please.

Also- If someone could give me some info, It might help ease my mind...

My brother and his family are in De Luz housing at Camp Pendleton. They have been on standby all evening. My mother lives with them and I'm worried. They are packed and waiting for the word. I assume they will be safe- Surely the USMC are being very mindful of their families' safety- But I worry about their home and where they will go. Right now I wish I lived closer (I am in OK) so they could come to me.

Does anyone know where the fires are now in relation to De Luz housing at Camp Pendleton? I'm a worrywart.

My mother hasn't called me to say they are being evacuated yet, so I am taking that as a good sign. Just wondering what is going on out there.