ronjon10

The evacuation is lifted in Topanga, so I'm going home tonight. I'm relieved but it's hard to be too happy. One of my best friends parents live north of San Diego. The fire went through their neighborhood and they're still unsure about the condition of their house. Ugh.

merider1

Well, I'm happy you get to go home, Ron.

Indolent58

News from Mt Palomar

Posted @ 5:17 PM

The Poomacha fire, which started as house fire on La Jolla Indian Reservation, is burning up South Grade Road on Palomar Mountain.

Firefighters are setting backfires and making a stand at State Park Road, near the top of the mountain, to prevent the fire from reaching homes on Crestline and elsewhere up the mountain.

The Palomar Mountain Store is at State Park Road, where it intersects with South Grade.

Foovanadil

As an update to Palomar. My girlfriends parents live on Crestline at the top of the Mt. They were evacuated this morning @ 4AM. Thankfully this was plenty of time to get people off the mountain.

The bad news is last we heard the fire burned up South Grade and is on it's way to the top. The firefighters had taken up position around crestline (the fire station) and further up the mountain to make a stand.

Last we heard the fire had reach the "top" of the mountain which is hard to determine where but it certainly is threating the state park, the observatory, the fire station, and crestline rd.

lets hope that they can save the homes in that area.

Nachoman

Things are okay here in Point Loma. Lots of friends and family were evacuated from all over the County. In my office of twenty, there were only three of us present. Downtown was like a ghost town.

lotek 

just a quick word to y'all (my best transplanted texan) to keep safe and thanks for checking in.

For the time being I'm going to sticky this thread to make it easy to find.

Marty

merider1

Thanks, Marty.

bluebottle1

My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected. Stay safe. You're all far too valuable to lose.

DDYTDY

Be Safe.

Six jours

I thought we were pretty safe at our place in Lake Forest, but the fire map at the OC Register site shows the fire got to within less than a thousand yards, down a brushy corridor interrupted only by a single road where firefighters stopped it. A bit unsettling; I hadn't realized we were quite so exposed..

The latest update is that the Santiago fire is 50% contained, so the worst may be over for OC. Whiting Ranch is completely gone, as are many of the best mountain bike/hiking trails in the nearby forests.

blue_nose

I know what you mean. So many of the routes I take on long weekend rides have been effected. My heart goes out to people that have lost their homes. Even those that have not been effected will have quite a mess to clean up over the next couple of months. Not to mention how their views and landscapes will be scarred for some time.

merider1

And next...the floods when it rains.

markg

You must be real close to where a good friend that just moved up there is. Talked with her yesterday and she said that on her way home the previous evening, the flames were appeared to be within about a 1/2 mile of the friend's place she is staying at. Fortunately the firefighters stopped it and they did not have to evacuate.

Six jours

We have a lot of narrow strips of brushy wildland intermingled with relatively new tracts of homes in this area. Guess I'm no genius, but it had never occured to me that these amount to brushfire highways. Our roads tend to be four laners even in quiet areas, though, so firefighters have great access and fires have a tough time making the jumps. I imagine that's why there are a lot of folks here who were physically quite close to the fires but in little actual danger.

An entirely different story with the folks living up in the canyons, of course...

jschen

I know it's been asked earlier, but anyone have any clue how Nosra451 is doing?

Nosra451

Hey thanks for the thoughts. I'm kinda fine. It seems that I tore a muscle in my lower back the day before the fires started, go figure! I will be off duty for a while trying to rehab. This will be the first fire storm I have missed in 23 years, and I'm bummed. Pass the Vicodin. My heart goes out to the friends and neighbors who aren't so lucky.

merider1

Well, Bill, personally I'd rather you be in rehab than out in that, but I understand your desire to be with your guys too. My heart and prayers go out to those guys. I can't even imagine the heat and smoke they have to contend with.

herbm

Sorry to hear that Bill...hope you are better soon!!
My brother-in-law is retired Monterey Park, I know he misses it...wont admit it...
He did say it brought back memories of 93 ..he had a strike team in Topanga at that one...

The unfortunate thing is, it looks like his brother lost his house in Running Springs....

bikingshearer 

Another NorCal denizen sending out tons of good wishes to all of you in SoCal who are in the front lines of this. If the NorCal BF contingent can do something to help, let us know.

Seriously.

Meanwhile, please stay safe. Your lives are far more important than any stuff you may have.

klondike300

Mission Valley is all OK. Unfortunately my RV is in Ramona. I heard from owner of the lot that they didn't sustain any fire damage but all the RV's are very dirty and possibly smoke damaged. Trying to arrange somewhere in Yuma to bring it to so the insurance guys can look at it. Down here for Uncle Sam and supposed to leave next week. I'll be on my own dime after next Wednesday if I try and do insurance stuff here. Can live free in Yuma at the folks if I can get someone to open on a Saturday.

vhenley

I flew into LAX from London on Monday night and all I can say is that on the approach it looked like a war zone....even the flight crew were taken aback.....we'd heard what was happening back in London it still shocked us all.....

My heart goes out to all affected and the beautifull state of California....

Take care everyone.....

Vanessa

Pamestique 

One of my best friends grew up in Crestline and his family still lives there. I called and found out his parents and his sister lost their homes (and are now staying with him in Aliso Viejo). They can't really say what has been saved and what has not and they are waiting to hear from their firends to see if everyone is OK. Thankfully those folks have been through this drill before so knew to get out and away from the fire.

cuda2k

Been watching the fire coverage here on CNN while I've been down with a case of the flu. Even as bad as I've felt over the last 48hrs, seeing and hearing all this makes me realize it could be a lot worse. I also hear that they've arrested one man accused of starting at least one of these fires. But there are other fires which are possible arson that they don't have anyone yet. Thoughts are with you all still displaced by these fires.

merider1

I have to stop reading the news. It is heartwrenching to read about those who lost everything. I heard some comments made on Tuesday at the gym about how most of those who lost their homes could "afford the loss and pick up easier than if 'they' were poor." I was shocked by it, but didn't open my mouth as usual to say anything and just moved to a different piece of equipment.

There are many people who lost their homes in these fires that cannot simply rebuild or buy another home. That is absolutely untrue. Many of those folks worked for years to build, buy and/or design their homes that went up in smoke and have been reduced to rubble. And many of those people didn't have a chance to remove much more than essentials when they were told to evacuate. I don't understand humans sometimes and this "rich vs. poor" mentality. I feel just as badly for the million dollar home owner as I do for the five member family who scraped money together to buy a home. Human loss is loss, period, and no one should have had to suffer the tragedy of having their world, memories and home taken from them.

blue_nose

Thought I would share a story from the wildfires the wildfires that may generate a smile or two.

On Monday morning as the fires were really raging, I was at work getting some things while my wife was at home packing the back our car with all our essentials. She went though an emergency checklist and gather important documents, pictures, change of clothes and the like.

When I returned home my bike was on the back of the car. I guess my ride is essential