A Sobering Morning Commute: Fires Rip Through San Diego County And Blacken The Skies

Posted on 22 October 2007

Last night Julie and I took a gander outside our apartment to try to find out who could possibly be holding the BBQ in our neighborhood that was sprinkling ash all over our kitchen. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen a black sky. We’ve been tuned into the news and the radio ever since. Fires, fed by roaring Santa Ana winds are tearing through San Diego county. Check out the NASA picture to the right - even from space, the fires look biblical.

I woke up this morning to a declared state of emergency just north in Del Mar, Carmel Valley and Rancho Bernardo. More than 8 Fires have covered immense ground and the buzz is that the winds are so strong that they may make it all the way to the ocean 15-20 minutes drive north of our house. Thousands of people are being evacuated all over San Diego just north and just south of us. Qualcomm Stadium has been opened for evacuees (sorry, no horses - I never knew that that would be a problem, but there are frequent no animals warnings from every news source). No one is equipped for this. The truly sobering part is that there’s piles of ash piling up on our front porch, and there’s a light dusting of ash on all our kitchen counter tops - frankly, it’s a eerie reminder of just how lucky we are to have avoided the destruction and homelessness that’s occurring on a massive scale, even as I’m typing right now.

This morning I took these photos on my phone on my way out of the house and on my commute to Carlsbad, which was cut short when Julie called me and told me about the evacuations happening to the left and right of I-5 where I was stuck in traffic.

Driving toward the fires North of San Diego.

Approaching Salona Beach, The Sky Is Almost Completely Black

Here’s a Photo Of the Sky As You Approach Del Mar - You Can See How Thick The Smoke Is Contrasted With the Relatively Blue Sky Behind Me.

Here’s A Photo Of The Ash Build Up On My Front Porch In La Jolla

Links you can use to stay informed and learn how you can help:

If you have vacant housing that you will donate to evacuees from the fire, post it at www.sdcaa.com

Tune In Right now to Live Radio Stream, SignOnSanDiego covering SD Wild Fires.

For Evacuation Tips and Ways You Can Help Evacuees, visit burninstitute.org

For Help With Housing Animals, visit sdhumane.org