As an Angeleno I feel I must make mention of the single largest fire emergency in California's history.
Fully 1 Million people have evacuated their homes. Many of those do not have a home to call home anymore. People are living in their cars and stadiums like Qualcomm and Del Mar Race Track .
 Google interactive Fire Map-find out the current status of the blazes |
Eerily,my wife and I stayed in a hotel a block away from Del Mar Saturday night. And the only people at the track were the Halloween enthusiasts attending their version of fright night.
We woke Sunday morning to news about Malibu and Santa Clarita getting some fires. Al Rantell of KABC radio said that they were getting 100 mile an hour gusts. Honestly, my first reaction was ambivalence as fires and earthquakes go right next to Southern California in the Encyclopedia.
As we got on the freeway it was pretty calm. But by the time we were going thru Camp Pendleton on our way North to L.A. all I could see was dust in the air and debris flying across the 405. And the wind. At times I struggled to keep the car straight.
We arrived home in Torrance (Torrance is in the South Bay-the Southern part of the Santa Monica Bay where Santa Monica and Malibu are at the Northern tip) about 2 hours later and settled into perfect weather. "This is weather you want during the Summer", I thought.
I even mentioned to my wife that we should take a ride down to the beach that afternoon. With all the fire induced smog, there is nothing prettier than a Santa Ana wind induced sunset where the smog engages the sun into a spectacular explosion of fire across the Bay.
It was then that we learned that all these areas we have just crossed had erupted into flame. My heart sunk.
I do wish to mention that I am proud of "my people". Relative calm at the "Camps". And I read yesterday that they were doing very well with food and rations for the homeless. What a stark contrast to the mess we witnessed only a few years ago in the South. Certainly different circumstances, but I am proud to be a Californian today.
Southern Californians are all trying to locate loved ones. We ourselves have family and friends whom very well may be homeless.
Please keep your hearts and prayers open to all the victims. They are weathering this thing out bravely.
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