Wildfire Forces Evacuation Of Scripps Ranch (SAN DIEGO IS ON FIRE!)

NBC San Diego ^ | October 26, 2003

[South40]

RAMONA, Calif. -- Fire officials said at 9 a.m. that the Cedar Fire, which had burned more than 10,000 acres, had jumped state Route 67 and was now threatening the area of Scripps Ranch.

Brush fires burning in San Diego Sunday filled the county's skies with smoke, killing 5 and destroying scores of homes.

Hundreds of San Diego residents have been evacuated from the paths of the fires.

East of Ramona, a blaze being called the Cedar Fire has destroyed has scorched at least 10,000 acres, and at least seven homes in the San Diego Country Estates area were destroyed. The CHP reported that two people who were trying to evacuate were trapped by the flames and killed.

Fire officials announced around 8 a.m. that a branch of the Cedar fire was burning in Santee Lakes near the Bonita Parkway. At 8:30, there were no details to report about that blaze.

Thousands of other homes and structures are threatened by the Cedar Fire.

A mandatory evacuation was ordered around midnight for the San Diego Country Estates community in Ramona, and many residents are taking the orders very seriously. That fire has burned through Barona and Moreno Valley and has crossed Highway 67 at Johnson Lake Road. Sunday morning, the fire was raging around Eucalyptus Hills -- a heavily populated area -- and was making its way toward Lakeside.

Fire officials were urging people in the area to evacuate to the Ramona Performing Arts Center at the Ramona High School at 1401 Hanson Lane. The school's phone number is (760) 788-5000. Earlier, residents had been sent to the Olive Pierce Middle School at 1542 Hanson Lane in Ramona, but, with nearly 700 residents there, authorities said the facility was full.

NBC7/39 reported around 9 a.m. that the Cedar Fire had jumped state Route 67 and was now approaching the area of Scripps Ranch. Residents of Scripps Ranch were being ordered to evacuate and were told to go to Mira Mesa High School at 10510 Reagan Road.

A second fire, which was being referred to by officials as the Paradise Fire, began near Valley Center in the Boucher Heights area of the Rincon Reservation. The fire in Valley Center has charred at least 1,000 acres, and 50 to 100 homes have been destroyed. Cole Grade Road has been closed. A fire chief on the scene told NBC7/39 that he personally had seen at least three people who had been killed by the fire.

The Red Cross has opened an evacuation center at Valley Center Middle School 28102 N. Lake Wolhford. Large animal evacuations can be taken to Aerie Park at Aerie Road and Betsworth.

Two command posts have been set up by officials; one is located at San Vicente Road and Gunn Stage Road in Ramona and the second at the Lakeside Rodeo grounds.

A third fire was burning on Marron Valley Road near state Route 94 in the Dulzara area close to the U.S.-Mexico border. More than 400 acres had reportedly burned in that fire.

Early on Sunday morning, embers could be seen falling from all directions as residents made their way to safety. Ash from the fires was seen drifting to the ground as far away as downtown San Diego.

"There was a fire all over the hillside by our house about 1:10 this morning," said evacuated resident Jeffrey Shults. "They knocked on the door and told us to evacuate immediately and not to grab anything, just family. Period."

The San Diego sheriff's department said that its communications center is operating in emergency mode and will only be answering emergency calls only for the next several hours.

Toward the north, the fire burning at Camp Pendleton had reportedly burned nearly 5,000 acres and is 55 percent contained, reported fire officials.

Check back here for updates on this breaking news story.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Oh slap yourself and shut up.

[Molly Pitcher]

Prayers lifted for all involved...

[FITZ]

Stay safe ---- and leave the minute you feel you should.

[LaraCroft]

Yeah, I'm kind of confused as to why Iraq, a country with extensive oil reserves needs our GRANT money. A loan maybe, but the President doesn't want to appear like we did it for money.

Like the Liberals will ever give him credit for anything. When will the Republicans learn?

[Pukin Dog]

Oh will you please shut up?

I'm right here in Mira Mesa, and things will be okay in time. Fires are a fact of nature, and there are times when there is nothing you can do about them, regardless of how many resources are available. Your rant is ridiculous, but I guess we all have our moments. Just calm down.

[Hildy]

Thank you. I think we're ok for now, but I've NEVER seen the atmosphere this color. The biggest worry for me is that our next-door-neighbor has totally let his home go and he still has a shake roof and there are actually power lines on his house. It's been the source of alot of neighborhood anger over the years. A few months ago I actually found someone to buy the house from him, and he totally sabatoged the deal. My husband has been fighting with me because I want to go and tell him that he must take care of his property, but my husband doesn't like confrontation (it's amazing we're married!). Anyway, this morning, as we were watching the fires, he told me we will go and talk to him tonight.

[Pukin Dog]

There are a good number of us down here who pay horrendous water bills in order to prevent(as best we can) danger from fires. My property is protected by ground cover, sprinkers surrounding the lot, and a pool pump for extra water if I need it. Outside my property, it is as barren brushland, but only the largest fires are going to damage my property.

[ETCM]

It's sureal here in Santee. Orange/gray skies and thick smoke. Ash is raining down. Just got a call that one of the Chiefs on my ship lost his home this morning. This is way out of control. Prayers for all....

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks, been away from the apartment a lot.

The smoke and ash is keeping me at home today!

I hope you were able to read all of our prayers and thoughts we posted to you.

I read most of them.
They were all very much appreciated and pretty overwhelming.
I miss my pardner very much!

[Grampa Dave]

I wondered when some whacked out third party whiner would blame us for this. I think you are the first!

[Grampa Dave]

How are you doing?

Are you getting smoke from both fires?

[Grampa Dave]

When will you third party losers, with no one in congress learn to shut your whining mouths. Go to a political thread and bitch.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Report from LA :

CA: Wind-driven flames chars 250 homes - SoCal: L.B. & Downey send help.

[Grampa Dave]

Here is an earlier thread started on this fire, and it is approaching 300 replies. There are maps, reports from scanners and other news not on tv.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1008393/posts

San Diego County fires - Live Thread 10/26


Posted on 10/26/2003 8:35 AM PST by socal_parrot


New threat regarding San Diego County fires.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Doing OK, except I am staying indoors today.

Smoke and ash mostly from the fires to the Northeast all the way to the beach today. See my link above!

[Allegra]

Oh, slap yourself and shut up.

I was trying to come up with the proper response to that strange post. You did so admirably.

Prayers sent up for the people in the fire regions. Stay safe.

[South40]

Photo taken from the top of Mt. Helix. Note the orange tint.

[onyx]

Thanks. Our house now smells of smoke inside, - guess I'd best close ALL of the windows!

When I told I couldn't see falling ash, I really couldn't *see* any, but now my son's white car is covered with dark gray ash/soot.

Some neighbors are on "canyon watch" --- we're on the rim overlooking I-8 --- because we are convinced the fires are being set. No tinfoil necessary --- we're serious.

[NYer]

Freeper Sandyeggo has just been given evacuation orders from her home. Please keep her and her family in your prayers. She emailed me earlier saying that the winds had died down and the fire line had moved.

She just sent me the following:

"Wind has picked up - fire has crested the campground less than an mile from here . We are packing up. If we end up down at my mom's I'll freepmail you from her computer. It doesn't look good all of a sudden. People in the neighborhood are moving out now. "

[OldFriend]

Reminds me of the terrible fires in Colorado. We'd watch the ballgame on TV and it would appear to be snowing.....it was ash.

At one point the governor said....Colorado is burning.....very poor choice of words.