And so it starts...this fire started about 2 miles from my office. It is moving away from me but heading towards multi-million dollar homes in Santa Luz and Fairbanks Ranch...homes evacuated, schools evacuated.

Winds blowing 20-30 MPH, 90+ degrees...winds shifting...fire blowing across 4-lane roads.

http://media.10news.com/livestreampage

My poor figs this morning were being whipped viciously. I watered all and moved some of the smaller trees under cover but the wind in my area was blowing a good 40+. I'm 1900' higher and 20 miles away from work. Also heard SDGE has cut power in Ramona due to the high winds to prevent power lines causing a fire if downed.

Hope this gets put out soon.

Sue

Sure hope it doesn't come near you Sue. Stay safe!

I hope the wind dies down and they can put that fire out.  Be safe.

Wow, Sue, hope all goes well.  Keep yourself and your new tree safe! :)

Harvey, my new tree is in my kitchen window, safe and sound. :-) Didn't want to put it out in this week's heat (red flag warning). Thanks again!

Wow, hope they get it under control soon!

Paul, Are you watching the live feed...pretty scary...

yeah, I am watching it. My uncle lives 3 miles from the western edge in RSF, in a tinderbox of eucalyptus groves. 

Sue, Please stay safe! Los Angeles is still ok but the heat yesterday and today is insane. I hope the fires this year will not be too harsh.

Oh, NOT GOOD. Those euks are full of oil.

Be safe,
How many of you live in the area?
I am in San Diego next week on business.

that whole road [via de la valle] is lined with euks......and the brush in the area is huge

[QUOTE=paulandirene]yeah, I am watching it. My uncle lives 3 miles from the western edge in RSF, in a tinderbox of eucalyptus groves. [/QUOTE]

Paul is right, RSF is a tinderbox of old eucalyptus.  I'm am on the west side of the Ranch also, and keeping an eye on the smoke and live TV.  If this one blows into the Ranch there will be the mother of all conflagrations.  Temperature here now 96 deg, humidity 7% and winds variable to 40 MPH. 

Please keep us and firemen in your prayers.......

Currently, evacuation orders are in effect for the blue areas on the map below. My office is indicated by the red dot...I think I'll mosey on home, check on my figgies.


 

Stay safe Bosco. I contacted my mother and asked about her brother. Not sure why he hasn't left yet....Via de la Valle can't handle a ton of traffic all trying to leave at the last moment.


Yes Sue please head home!

Stay safe everyone. We've had to evacuate 3 times over the last couple decades. It's no fun. I still get very uncomfortable when I hear large planes, sirens, or smell smoke, esp when it's hot and windy.

Stay safe, Sue, Jack and all the rest out there.  Isn't this about 3-5 weeks early?    I'm kind of surprised they don't pull all those Eucalyptus trees.  The only worse thing to have would be a Linseed oil storage facility.  It would be expensive and disruptive but it would be worth it.

Stay safe everyone !

Thanks everyone for the well wishes.

Update...... thanks to an armada of water dropping airplanes, helicopters and a lot of firemen, the fire appears to be under control.  At least for tonight!   We had a big fire back in 2007, which got out of control, so now they hit them with everything they've got to avoid a repeat of that disaster. I believe no loss of life or homes, just burned up a lot of old scrub land and open space between or near developments.  As usual for evacuations, huge effort in mobilizing every horse trailer in the county to get livestock out of harms way.  Big horse country here! 

Bob..... no we are not 3 to 5 weeks early for fire time but, more like 3 to 5 month's early.   Worst of Santa Ana conditions usually happen around October thru December.   As many have experienced this year, very weird weather.  Global warming, I dunno..?   Suppose to be back to normal May weather of 68-70 deg next week    FYI.... to many around here the eucalyptus is almost sacred, even if dead.  Kind of a cultural thing, I guess.  They were planted at the turn of the century by the original developer, the Santa Fe Railroad.

Great to hear everyone was okay. The good thing is that that area won't be able to burn in the fall.

I read somewhere that this dry spell in SoCal is due to El Niño/La Niña (I forgot which one it was) ocean tempertaure oscilations in the South Pacific. I also remember a news wheather forecaster saying that in El Niño/La Niña years, the typical May Gray and June Gloom is almost entirely absent, which is exactly what's going on.

Mother Nature is a maaaaaad scientist!

Sue and Bosco, please stay safe. Norhayati

Bosco, wasnt there a fire started a few years back by a hunter who signalled to a helicopter using a flare...in August of Sept?

Stay safe everyone

That was the 2003 Cedar fire, the first BIG one scorching 275,000 acres, killing 14 and burning over 2000 homes down. Repeated four years later with the Witch Creek fire...looks like we learned a few things as this one didn't burn any houses (newer developments) no one was killed and acrage limited to 1500 acres although it's only 25% contained.

Have 4 active fires in the area now...Carlsbad fire has destroyed homes. Pendleton evacutaion ordered. Fallbrook homes threatened...not good.

http://www.10news.com/video/live-video

Every one in SD and outskirts please be safe, may God protect every one.

We lost a house to fire when I was growing up in greek islands... not fun.

Stay safe Sue !

Francisco

The fires are not near me at this point, thank goodness but ya never know.

I missed this thread yesterday.  Winds kicking up here now.  I have been praying for all of you in San Diego burn area.  I see now that Camp Pendleton is burning.  Homes are burning.  Sad.  This will be a rough summer for all those of us in drought areas.

I know you have a lot of property, Sue, and I read about this plant that I am going to start and divide and cover our wilderness areas with it.  It's drought and fire resistant.  We have cleared 30' around the property, but one spark can light a pine or palm and it's all over!

Suzi

The previous owners planted myoporum ALL OVER my property, right next to the house. Well its a very woody groundcover and dies back a lot. Also planted 10 rosemary shrubs, which I love, just feet from the house and spread WOOD chip 'mulch' around the foundation. I've pulled most of the myoporum and am planting ice plant. I've chopped the rosemary way back but if I hear of a fire up here, I'm ripping them out with my car and a chain! ;-) I have my property cleared well for a wildfire...fire marshal comes by yearly to keep us on our toes. :-)

Yep we are in for one potential hell of a year...El Nino is forming in the Pacific which will hopefully bring rain this 'winter'.

I heard 30 homes have been destroyed in the fires so far today...

I learned yesterday that Bob Chambers, one of the original CRFG members (member #6) died last month.  A small group (me and five others) visited his property/farm three years ago on his 88th birthday.  His property adjoins the eastern edge of Camp Pendleton.  His white sapote trees were damaged many years ago when a missle/bomb started a fire on the base and spread to his property.  The base now has a very wide area cleared around it's boundary to prevent a recurrence of that.  I see that the Fallbrook fire is on the east side of Camp Pendleton.  Hope it has not spread to his property.  It's probably the largest white sapote collection in the world.  Some photos from the 2011 visit is on my web site at www.whitesapote.com

A new fire almost every hour. it seems. a couple have been knocked down, but most are ongoing and dangerous.

Fires are a very scary thing and drought conditions are the worst. There were wildfires in my region a couple of years ago and the devastation is awful. We have been so dry last couple of years, any time I smell smoke (idiots burning trash around here when there's a burn ban) just ticks me off and makes me sooo nervous! I'm a little bit of a worrier about fires. I pray for everyone's safety.

Terrible news. I hope you are ready to evacuate. I was there for the the last 2 bad ones. Know someone who died trying to drive out.

Here are a few photos from my backyard of the San Marcos fire, one of 9 active fires in the county. I'm about 30 miles from the fire in these images.

Approx 6:30PM



Approx 7:30 pm

 
Approx 10:30 pm

  

I am surprised I can see the flames of the San Marcos fire 30 miles away! That is one hot fire.
It's no longer a wind-driven fire but a fuel-driven fire, not good.

Military expected to step in tomorrow to help.

Sue

Had to evacuate, I am close to Harmony Grove and did not want to risk it.  Flames 12 feet high, and from 2 pm to about 4 there were no tankers to douse.  Still 0% contained.  We are in a hotel.

oh my...How terrible

Pat..... so sorry about you having to evacuate, I hope your casa isn't in harms way.  That fire breaking into Harmony Grove, and I suspect Elfin Forest, will be a terrible loss.  What a pretty canyon/valley, so rural!  All those ancient oak trees and sycamores haven't seen fire in a hundred years.  Too bad.!  I would think a tough place to fight a fire, except from the air maybe!

Sue... Nice photos.  Wasn't that some sunset tonight.  Looking towards the fires from my house (just over the hill) the sky looked like an aurora borealis,   All orange and red with the smoke well above.  For better part of the evening we've been getting a steady fallout of grey ash, it will look like Christmas here in the morning at this rate.

So..... I'm starting to think these fires are triangulating on my place.  Yesterday fires were a few miles to the south and today a few miles to the north.  I'm on the north west corner of RSF, just off El Camino Del Norte.  That puts tonight's active fire just over the hill a couple miles.   Last I heard 8 or 10 homes/ranches have already been lost and more in the the path.  Sure those folks must have evacuated their horses and stock early today.    One thing sure, with this inferno still active, I'll be sleeping with one eye open tonight.

Bad news is, more of the same 100 deg plus heat with associated winds tomorrow, so it will probably be an active fire day.  If nothing else lots of containment and moping up.  

Good new is, we got some major air assets on the scene this evening and the Marines say they will put 20 of their water dropping helicopters into the fight tomorrow. 

Best news..... my one year old figs seem to be tolerating their baptism of 100 deg heat and relentless wind.   They been getting a good watering or drenching, foliage and all a few times during heat of day (noon and 3:30)  They look none the worse, in fact quite perky for having no protection or shade.  I'm positive kicking the water up has made the difference.

Holy cow, Sue! That glow is kind of eerie. I hope the military can knock it back. Once those things get fuel, it is really bad. Everyone, stay safe.

Disgusting....hearing now that all but 1 of the 8 fires are of a suspicious nature, likely caused by a "firebug" (arson)!

I figured as much. Nine fires starting on the same day is a bit much without 'intervention'.

Winds are supposed to be 50 MPH in Ramona today. It's 10AM and already 90..hope the firebug doesn't come up the "hill".

Now Harmony Grove and San Marcos are priority one. ONly 5% contained yet...  Last night evacuating road jammed with horse and animal trailers...what could happen in a bigger emergency...though well prepared now and it was orderly overall.

Live coverage...

http://www.10news.com/video/live-video

Wow!  Fallbrook!  We have a member there too.  This is no fun!  Praying for all of you!

Suzi

I live near Harmony Grove, and my area is all under mandatory evac, no one allowed back in.  3 homes lost in Country Club near Kauna Loa, one a great tragedy man losing wife recently to disease, and now this.  Everything out East of San Marcos and West Escondido still burning or smoldering.  Sobering, makes you think about what is important.

I'm on the border of the evacuation line now. Live right next to where they just apprehended two people that might have been starting fires in the park. You would think they would pick a location other than the temporary home base for the police and fire. Then again, if they're starting fires on purpose, they aren't entirely thinking straight.

Really? Hope you, Jack and patriota are all safe. Patriota, have you been able to return to your home yet? Jack did you have to evacuate?

The wind shifted today and blew all the smoke up the hill to Ramona. It was thick and was not fun to breathe. Hopefully they will get these fires under control and catch the freaks that set them...

Many homes burned, 1 death so far.

Sorry to hear all of this is happening in fig heaven SD/CA.
All, be & stay safe...

My nighbor got in but they are not allowing in, evacuation still in effect, the devastation in Whitney Drive is massive, homes burned to the ground.

When we were evacuated a few years ago and cars still being kept out (the worst of the fire had passed our area) I put on sneakers, a big hat, and walked back in to make sure the house was still here... and then to check on the fish and water my plants - especially the unforgiving blueberries. A news guy gave me a ride up the steepest part of the hill. There were so many helicopters flying over head, it was like being in a war zone. Those guys are amazing.

I think arson should carry life in prison w/o parole.

Kudos to all firemen!