If Hell Had Stoplights It'd Look Like Southern California Today

This was my sky today, here in Chico, straight up noon.

 

This is the sky today, from any place in southern California you choose.
(Photo stolen from Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

 

Hardly seems fair, does it?

 

I've now heard from everyone, I think.

 

Everyone I was worried about in Southern California, that is.  My cousin Asia and her family are safe, 17 miles from any fires in San Diego.  Frank and Josie and kids had to evacuate from Carlsbad Monday, but Frank just e-mailed me that they are far away and safe.  The friends in Bonita, Hollywood, and Hesperia are okay.  Choking on smoke, but okay.

 

It's the ones I wasn't worried about initially who are making me nervous.  My college roommate J.P. lives in the foothills east of Irvine, where the Santiago fire has been raging.  Her street is right at the base of a steep hill, covered in chaparral, and right where the fire has been reported.  I finally got an e-mail back from her this morning: 

We had to evacuate but we are safe for the moment.  Came back to house today but fire is coming back this way.  Cars are still packed if we need to leave again but there is not much more that can burn.

 

I've been keeping track of Chas's family in San Clemente through Chas's mom, but since they are 15-20 miles from the Santiago fire, I wasn't really worried, and neither were they.

 

Then I got this e-mail from Chas's mom this morning.

 

I am bleary-eyed from lack of sleep and smoke and certainly babbling but I must confess that I was rather blasé about the fires until last night.  I was driving home from chorale practice in Laguna Beach about 9 pm.  When I got to the high point of the freeway, looking south, I could see, at first, an orange glow and heavy smoke and then flames along the ridge line.  I sped home and told Bob who was unaware of the fire.  We went out back.  Our yard faces SE and there is a ridge, then a street, a golf course, and then the county line which separates us from Camp Pendleton.  We could see the glow and a lot of smoke.

 

Bob went to the TV and I went on-line and we found out there were 2 fires on Pendleton.  The closest was 10 miles south of San Clemente.  We didn't do anything yet but about 9:30 there was a knock on the door and we both thought we were going to be evacuated and we hadn't done anything.  It turned out to be a neighbor who had driven down by the golf course and could see the flames in the distance and just wanted to make sure that everyone on our cul-de-sac was aware of it.  Bob said "go pack your papers and your prescriptions."

 

Then, it was kind of funny what each of us did.  Bob packed some papers and got our passports which is rather ironic after our experience this summer [a passport SNAFU with very unlucky results].  (We had heard of people trying to evacuate to Mexico who didn't have their documentation.)  I started doing laundry!  Don't ask me why as there wasn't very much and we certainly had plenty of clean underwear!

 

Next I got the cat carrier down from on top of the Christmas decorations in the garage, took pictures of everything in the house with the digital camera, packed a file box with important papers, family jewelry, pictures and put them in the car along with our blow-up mattress (it was later that I realized that we would need electricity to pump it.  On the other hand, if we descended on one of our children, we would at least have a bed).

 

I packed an overnight bag with a change of clothes, RX's and some makeup (ok, I admit it, I am shallow).  We laid out a change of clothes, walking shoes and flashlights by the bed.  We finally went to bed about 1:30 with the blinds open (our bedroom faces SE) so we could see if fire came over the ridge.  I woke up about every hour and checked.  The smell of smoke was alarming.

 

Sunrise this morning looked like something out of Dante's Inferno but the Santa Ana winds have died down and it is eerily still.  We are again covered in ashes and dust but we are safe so far.  We are keeping the cars packed, the cell phones charged and are taking all this very seriously.  Will keep you posted.

Love, Mom

I think all the blood drained out of my head when I read this.  I wasn't terribly concerned before this morning, but now I am.  And the morning "news lite" shows are grinding two questions into the dirt until I wanna SCREAM: 

 

"How did you feel when you returned and saw that your house of 15 years was a smoking, charred pile of rubble?"

 

and

 

"If it happened to YOU, would YOU be ready?"

 

To the first question I'd look blankly at the reporter for a second, then answer, "Whadda you mean?  My house hasn't burned yet.  This is how it always looks!"

 

I think you know my answer to the second question.

Comments

[foolery]

Ahem.

Approximately.
Gnarly.
NEVER.
All the time.

[Jeff in Idaho]

You are 550 miles from the fires?!? From the news it sounds like the WHOLE state is on fire.
Dude- how are the waves today? Do go to Tijuana often? How often do you see Britney Spears driving around with her kids strapped to the top of her car?

[Senor Feeeeengerpoots]

Bringin my .45.
I'll get a room.
Fer sure.

And after you get chopped, you gotta send me a major head shot of the whole coif. Maybe w/a little TX showin.

[foolery]

Just a trim, Snorpht -- or else I'll look like a sheepdog in another week.

Wonder if you'll be able to get a room then, with all the people left homeless?

[DON"T TASE ME FINGERPOOT...... DON'T TASE ME!!!!!!!]

Hey, LauFoo, whats this ugly rumor I hear about you going to cut your hair?

Looks like we'll be going to San Diego week of the 5th.

[foolery]

Thanks, Jane -- so far, so good. Haven't heard anything new from my in-laws this morning, but have heard from other San Clemente friends that things are better. Waiting for permission to post some more e-mailed news.

For perspective, we're 550 driving miles from them.

Laurie

[Juggernaut Jane]

Swami, I've been wondering how things were in your part of the world and if you've been having any problems with the smoke there. I've been keeping an eye on the news. (they're not going to rest until they dig up the most traumatic story) I'm so glad that your family and friends are o.k. I feel so bad for the people in Southern California. Let's hope that the government does a better job of it than in Louisiana. I'm going to donate through the Red Cross to the families there that had no insurance.
Wishing you all the best,
Love
Jane

[foolery]

Hey Ms. 'Tang . . . Mom's okay, but I'm forcing her to answer me an awful lot. I'm a pest that way. Nice to hear from you. Wanna go down to So Cal with us for Christmas and see what's left?

[rackletang]

Oy vey! Thanks for the dispatch from Orange County, I've been thinking about those folks...