In 1988, I moved from West LA to a suburb north of LA in the foothills. That year, there were many small fires in the area. I grew accustomed to hearing of a fire, checking to see how close it was to the house, and following the reports like the weather.
We later learned that a Glendale fire investigator was setting the fires and then investigating them (successfully, wouldn't you know). His bizaare behavior was made into a book, which was then excerpted in Reader's Digest. Fire frequency in this area dropped. Still, we were accustomed to them and here, fire season is as regular as rainy season.
Three or four years ago, Calblog husband, Maddy and I were curled up in bed watching X-files on a Sunday night. Amanda had gone to sleep. X-files ended and before a commerical, the news came on with a huge fire and La Canada Flintidge plastered across the bottom of the screen. Almost simutaneously a neighbor was banging on the door.
The hills to the south of us were on fire. The entire sky was lit up. The fire was huge and less than a mile away. As the Calblog husband said, it looked like the apocalypse. The winds were blowing away from us. Maddy and I dressed and I made sure I knew where my wallet and keys were.
Calblog husband said don't worry, it would have to jump the freeway. Minutes later, it jumped the freeway in 3 places.
We slept little that night. By morning it was under control. They had flown the firefighting planes over it. We were lucky. Either the winds or the darkness should have grounded the planes but the danger from the fire was so high that, for the first time, they violated those guidelines. The planes made the difference.
The next morning I drove on the freeway. No one had to tell us where the fire had jumped the freeway. The burn marks were there. One callbox had been all but consumed.
Had the fire started on the hills to the north, the fire experts believed it would take about 15 minutes to reach Foothill Boulevard. We'd be in about minute 12. Most of our friends are closer.
This weeek's big fire is relatively far from us. We have the smoke though. The sky in Pasadena was orange yesterday and the smell of smoke was thick. The air was difficult to breathe. I came home early and kept the air conditioner on.
The Santa Anas will blow all weekend and we'll watch the fires. It's part of life here.
Posted by Justene Adamec at October 25, 2003 09:38 AM | TrackBackWe're on the same pins and needles up north -- gawd I hate fire season. Give me a nice, quick earthquake any time . . . [oops - shouldn't have said *that,* 'tis the season for those, too.]
Let's find somebody else to recall - that was more fun.
Posted by: Claire at October 25, 2003 11:01 AM (Permalink)I live in Brea, which is about 15-20 miles from the Rancho Cucamoanga (sp?) fire, and the sun didn't come out all day. I can't imagine what it's like for those who live closer to the fires.
Posted by: Sean at October 25, 2003 07:26 PM (Permalink)I'm in Rancho Santa Margarita, which is quite a bit south of Brea, but we still got the orange air all day. Right now the outside air smells like a campfire.
Posted by: Xrlq at October 25, 2003 10:20 PM (Permalink)I live in Loma Linda.
I drove the 10 Freeway to Santa Monica this afternoon, and back home midnightish.
This afternoon the sun was shut out from view from the smoke in the Fontana area down to about Montclair. The winds were very strong, blowing the fires down the foothills toward the 10 Frwy. Cars had their lights on, and the lamp posts by the side of the freeway came on automatically.
Coming back late at night, I saw intermittant fires all the way from near the crest where the 10 passes Forest lawn all the way back past San Bernardino and into Highland, roughly thirty miles of off and on fires.
The fires were so close to the freeway in places I knew that entire housing tracks were in danger. The 15, 30, and 330 freeways north of the 10 were closed.
From where I live I can see fires raging all the way down the bottom foothill on the edge of Highland, the fires have to be down to where the concrete and asphalt begins, from what I can see.
I've never seen anything like this before. The Santa Ana winds have really turned this into a disaster
I remember that! That was SCARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Maddy at October 26, 2003 10:40 AM (Permalink)I remember that! That was SCARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Maddy at October 26, 2003 10:40 AM (Permalink)It seems significantly worse than normal this year. What i've seen blames it on dead trees due to a wood beetle infestation.
Posted by: aphrael at October 26, 2003 07:38 PM (Permalink)