O/T Fires in So Cal

[Rekd™]

The smoke cleared enough to see more than 1/4 mile now. Not a good sight. Fresh black smoke plumes less than a mile away. Another long day..

 

'Rekd

[Rekd™]

quote:

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So is Rekd the one that is the nearist to this mess?

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There's several of us here in SD that are within a mile or 2 of fires. They're everywhere. As many as 5 or 6 seperate fires. The one at my house is flaring up again.

 

'Rekd

[crazy^millman]

Be safe Rekd I will come a running if you need me too help you man. I got a Daybed that turns into a double and a queen sleeper if you need a place to crash for a few days. My wife is a stay at home Mom and My 2 year old daughter would love soemone to play with. Man keep safe and dont do anything cRazy that is my department.

 

Crazy Millman

[Rekd™]

Thanks Millman.

 

We've got a 21' self contained trailer that sleeps a whole neighborhood.

 

All I need is someplace to park.

 

'Rekd

[kathy]

Everyone down there be safe !!!!

 

I was just down there. We drove down 15 into San Diego, and back out Ortega Highway (I spent the rest of the week in Irvine). Flew home last Friday night.

 

Unreal -

 

Kathy

[SledGeek]

Got cousins nearby,they're pretty worried. Good luck to all !!!

[Rekd™]

Wow.

 

Completely un-believable; the highlight of KUSI news is the "total anarchy" they're showing of all the idiot reporters fighting to get their microphones on the mic stand for a press release. For Grey Dufas of all people..

 

I don't know why I watch these idiots. They've got to be THE worst news broadcast company I've ever seen..

 

'Rekd teh where's your priorities?

 

[ 10-27-2003, 05:05 PM: Message edited by: Rekd ]

[gcode]

When you listen to some of these clowns (reporters), its sounds like they're rooting for the fire so they have something exciting to talk about.

[dan m]

There’s nothing I can say that hasn't already been said. Be safe everyone and our prayers are with you.

 

Dan

[Müřlıń®]

This just in......Arnie-Geddon has struck Kali....film at 11.

 

J/K..... I do hope for the safty of all...Those news guys will make you sick fighting over a story......

 

 

Murlin

[crazy^millman]

No problem Rekd May have to park out back of the Shop but got plenty of room not near any woods and not near any fire plenty of room to spread out.

 

Crazy Millman

[Charles Davis]

I just got back from a ride on the bike to check out the office and see if we were still in danger.

 

Hard to describe what I saw. For you familiar with the area: Everything North and South of Scripps Poway Parkway is burned. No businesses were lost, some homes were. From what I saw, I can't believe the fire department saved as much as they did.

 

Remember that big gorgeous, house overlooking the entire valley with the ocean view? Gone.

 

Everything East of Hwy 15 along Miramar Airstation; Gone. Nothing but dark grey dirt, black nubs of plant roots, and light grey spots where the fire burned so hot.

 

I went down the 67 to hwy 8. Hwy 52 is still closed. A long fire line was burning over the hill west of 67 into Santee.

 

The smoke has cleared near Poway and our house, but it's like nuclear winter out there. You need a surgical mask to filter out the dust and debris.

 

The smoke in South County (El Cajon, south) is thick enough to cut.

 

I really think the worst of it MAY be over. The temps have been cooler and the winds have been milder; except out in the county where they're still blowing 60mph.

 

Supposedly major fleet of air tankers on the way.. would have made a big difference if they were here 24 hours ago, may have saved a few hundred houses, but better late than never.

[Rekd™]

One more glowing fire that I can't see the flames for in this area. It's NE of me, moving south. Looks like the worst is over (for me).

 

Here's another pict of the fires..

 

'Rekd

[Müřlıń®]

quote:

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Supposedly major fleet of air tankers on the way.. would have made a big difference if they were here 24 hours ago, may have saved a few hundred houses, but better late than never

---

Whenever wildfires get going around here, the Army sends in these twin blade helicopters with big buckets carring water. It doesnt take them two freaking days to do anything...

 

I dont understand why it has taken so long for anything to happen. There should have been some mechanical beasts dropping buckets of water on that fire soon after it started!!

 

Makes no sense to me at all....I mean these fires happen every year don't they? I realize these fires were huge, but it seams like there should have been more support.

 

 

Murlin

 

[ 10-28-2003, 07:39 AM: Message edited by: Murlin ]

[Toolfab]

I am pleased to hear that you S.Cali people have faired well thru this. My continued prayers are with your families and neighbors. This has to be terrible, pictures cannot to justice to what you are goin thru.

 

Good luck, and God bless.

[Rekd™]

Thanks, Paul.

 

Murlin, the resources were already gone to LA and other areas of Cali to fight the fires up there. The way this works is; Once the resources are there, they belong to whoever is there and they can keep them as long as they need them, no matter the urgency of their necessity back where they're based. Kind of a weird way of doing things, but kind of makes sense too, (unless you're where they're needed and you can't have them back..)

 

And yes, these fires do happen every year, but are typically only a tenth or less of the size/scope of these fires.

 

'Rekd

[Charles Davis]

San Diego, Tue 10:00am

 

In San Diego county:

200,000+ acres burned.

 

800+ homes burned.

 

300+ of these are less than 1 mile south of our business, and 2 miles east of our house in Scripps Ranch.

 

Now officially the worst natural disaster to ever hit San Diego.

 

Hot spots now are up near Julian; it does not look good. If the fire gets into the housing tracs up there, we'll loose several hundred more homes.

 

By son-in-law, wife, 2 daughters and 3 dogs are now at our 3 bedroom townhome; displaced from home yesterday and stuck in high desert due to Hwy 8 and other roads closed. They are tired, dirty, hungry, and the fate of thier home unknown. When they left the flames where behind their house.

 

Fire came much closer to the business than I thought. If it had jumped Community Road, we'd have been toast.

 

It ain't over yet by a long shot.

 

[ 10-28-2003, 12:11 PM: Message edited by: Charles Davis ]

[chris m]

Hang in there guys

 

I feel like sh!t that I can't do anything to help you

 

C

[Toolfab]

I am with Chris, it sucks when your friends are in distress and there is nothing you as an idividual can do.

 

Keep on surving guys. We will all be hoping and thinking fo you all in SoCal.

 

[Müřlıń®]

Rekd....I was speaking on more of a National level than a State one.

 

I mean.... seems like Colorado and Arizona already had their fair share of wildfires also.

 

Our country can spend a Billion dollars a day abroad but we have to take a backseat here in the states.

 

When disasters like this strike, its every man for himself.

 

I just think our Nation as a whole should have more resources to combat stuff like this.

 

Everyone feels so helpless, all we can do is just sit back and watch the horror unfold......makes me wanna puke when I think about the billions and billions of dollars spent on other things instead of taking care of our own....

 

OK Ima done .....

 

 

Murlin

[Rekd™]

Very good point.

 

'Rekd

[Charles Davis]

It seems to me the first priority of government is always to protect the citizens. In this case, it has failed miserably.

 

Let's see if I understand this, the government decides is does not want to spend 2M of "its" money on fire protection. So, .25B+ worth of private homes burn.

 

So, to save itself 2M, we private individuals get stuck with a .25B bill. That is; they are shifting a huge burden to the private sector to avoid incuring a relatively small burded on themselves. That's a pretty bad deal for us.

[Fig sign]

Hold on ,guys , I am with you !

 

Good luck to you and your families and to everyone !

[Charles Davis]

More bad news... Julian, Palomar Mountain, areas between now being evacuated. We can't contact my wife's parents because power is out and cell phone towers are down too.

 

Air quality is aweful; it's like a dense fog out there.

 

This has to end soon because there just can't be much of anything left to burn

[Philcott]

Son of a B!^(# .

 

I just got out of the woods, came on here to check on the forum family and have discovered that all hell has broken loose. I am truly grateful you guys have made it through thus far and hope you continue to have luck on your side. We, in British Columbia, went through the same thing this past summer. We were lucky in the loss of life department but did loose a lot of homes.

 

Charles,

The description of your neighbourhood is quite sobering. The thing with a wildfire is so little is left when it passes and all you have to look at is black patches and emptiness.

 

Rekd,

I can only imagine the worry you must have felt as you looked out the window and were not even sure where the fires were. As devestating as the loss of personal property can be, it pales to the concern a parent has for the welfare of their kids.

 

James,

I wish you and yours all the best in the days to come. I also give thanks that you guys have kept the forum members informed, on a very personal level, with regard to the fires.

 

Phil

 

 

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for though art with me.