Fire Trumps Foreclosures

I live in the Inland Empire city of Temecula, just north of San Diego. As you may know by now, there are fires burning all over Southern California--Malibu, San Diego, down by Mexico, South Temecula--sandwiching us in. Today's fire headlines, deservedly, have replaced all the news of the gloom and doom of foreclosures.

The one in San Diego is huge. Most of the freeways are closed and people are being evacuated. I don't know where you go when the city is on fire and the freeways are closed. Many of my friends have been evacuated and are unable to travel here where it is still relatively safe. The smoke is thick down there and it's hard for people to breathe. This fire has the potential to be worse than the one that burned much of San Diego four years ago. It's so windy that helicopters and airplanes can't be used to fight the flames.

The fire burned from the mountains and is headed to the Pacific Ocean, burning through much of the path that it did in the last fire. It keeps shifting with the wind, so it has moved to areas with thick dry brush that has not been burned in a while. At least one person has died, firefighters have been injured, and many houses destroyed. Last time, several people were killed after being trapped by quick moving flames--many in their cars while evacuating.

This is a good time to give all the prayers that you are capable of giving for the health and safety of the citizens and our brave fire personnel. It's unlikely now, but if the Temecula fire appears to be making it's way out to where I am, I'll make a quick post to let you know, and then disconnect my hard drive and throw it in my van with my children, pets, pictures, and videos. We did have to evacuate four years ago due to a fire that came very close to our house, so I think that I know the routine.