NAVYBLUE
Lead Service Attendant
JM,It is a scary thought though. I remember both 2007 and 2003 very well. In 2007, the Witch Creek Fire that demolished over 1,000 homes came within three miles of both my houses, demolishing many homes in value up to $30 million in Rancho Santa Fe. 2003 with the Cedar Fire was about 9 miles away at the closest. Both fires started during our Halloween Carnival at the elementary school. On the 21st or like the 3rdth Sunday in October each year, our elementary school Solana Vista holds a family Halloween Carnival, which is a really fun thing to do, and all of the kids get involved and all that stuff. But on that weekend, both fires started, 4 years apart. In 2007, we remember at about 2PM, we could see a huge wall of smoke in the distance. At 3, it was close and all of the adults were scrambling to get everything packed up. By 3:30, the smoke was upon us. At my dad's house just 15 minutes later, we couldn't see the tree in our backyard. Luckily my grandma from San Jose who was with us was able to fly out the next morning. The airport was still open. It was crazy having a huge wall at least a mile high just rushing you and coming straight at you. This is San Diego's version of a haboob.
We stayed in our house Sunday night, but on Monday we literally grabbed the last hotel room available in all of Downtown San Diego. I think it was the last time that my parents slept in the same bed, almost 3 years after they separated. We sure broke the no pets rule, bringing two young kittens and 3 small guinea pigs as well as a fish I had won the day before at the carnival. The hotel didn't care though. The smoke had covered all of the county except downtown, so it was nice-ish. There were almost 1 million people just in San Diego under evacuation orders. But where were they supposed to go? The Del Mar Fairgrounds filled up in the first hour they were open that Sunday, and nobody could evacuate. The Rice Fire burned across the 15, closing it. The Horno Fire burned right alongsie the 5 in Pendleton, closing it. The 8 was also obscured. They were directing all people to El Toro all the way up in Orange County, but the Santiago Fire was filling that up. It was a mess. After it was all done, literally entire streets and neighborhoods were just wiped out. Notable streets were Zoumaque in RSF and entire blocks in Rancho Bernardo were reduced to rubble. Here are some more pictures of what we had to deal with.
Mt. Miguel, the mountain that has most of our broadcasting towers
fire advancing on Scripps Ranch
So I know where these people in Colorado are coming from, and my heart goes out to them. These fires are uncontrollable, and are very devastating when in an urban setting. All of us in Southern California can attest to that. I have family in Fort Collins only 3 miles from the easternmost part of the Fort Collins Fire, and other family 6 miles from that same spot as well. I pray that these fires will be contained soon to prevent more damage.
Thanks for the pictures. I too feel for the people who are going through this. After (28) years in the NAVY and (20) years in N.E. Pennsylvania(living in the woods), there are some specific reasons I chose to retire in North Las Vegas, Nevada. In addition to no income tax and very few lifestyle restrictions, I chose it for it's minimal danger of natural disasters, its outdoor recreational options and its friendliness. No sleet, hail, mudslides, tornadoes, forest fires, snow, hurricanes, floods, ice, tsunamis, earthquakes or avalanches.
Other than a tsunami, I've experienced every one of these events, some multiple times due to the duty stations the NAVY sent me to. I sat through (4) Category 3 and 4 hurricanes and (2) wild fire encroachments. I will take a hurricane anytime over a wildfire. With a hurricane you know it's going to be over normally in 12-24 hours. When you see a wall of fire 75-100 feet high coming, you know it is not going to be a good day. You have no choice but to leave, knowing what you're leaving is probably not going to be there when you get back. I'm glad you and your family made it through that.
NAVYBLUE
)
