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Update from the Glendora region:

The entire area of the eastern San Gabriel Valley is completely choked with smoke. The skies above us, at dusk, looked the same as they had since about 2pm; dingy orange-grey with dim light filtering through. As the sun set, the sky went steely grey... with no stars visible whatsoever. Who knows if the moon's up.

The smoke, of course, rings the mountain range directly northward of us. It's like a halo of darkness. Standing in the parking lot of the local Walmart, I could barely see the nearby hill (approximately an eighth of a mile away), and I could not make out the tops of the mountains whatsoever; there was a dim outline which might have been the mountains, but it was virtually impossible to tell through the haze.

People are moving around here actively now that the sun has set; the parking lot at the Walmart was crammed, as was the local Target. It appears that now that the major "danger" has passed as per the newscasts, people are feeling daring enough to leave their homes. However, if the wind shifts, there's still danger; there's still a fire burning in the mountains above us, and it's perched directly over the only canyon that did not burn in the Curb fire. As things stand now, it's likely that it won't shift... but then again, the weather changes this last week have been staggering.

I've developed a cough from breathing so much smoke-filled air, but then again, so has everyone else out here - we've been breathing this sludge for days on end. I no longer notice the occasional flurries of ash, as long as it's smaller than pencil-eraser size. On the bright side, we aren't getting any more blackened leaves fluttering our direction (I have a small, crusted and burnt oak leaf sitting atop my monitor right now as a reminder of that phase of the fires around here).

On a more personal note, I found out today that my brother in law and his family, who live in some of the off-base Naval housing in San Diego county, were evacuated on Saturday due to the Cedar fire. They were able to return home late Sunday to their home... but not everyone in that region was as lucky, seeing as that a few houses on the off-base housing were burned. I don't know how many, or I'd post it. Family is fine, though. This was a bright spot in my day. (They live north of Qualcomm Stadium, although I'm not sure of the exact location, having only been there two or three times.)

The sun has set; a little breeze picked up, but nothing above... oh, say 2mph. Let's hope that it continues to be mild weather...

For those still on Big Bear or anticipating departure/evacuation, be advised that Hi 62 was bumper to bumper with nobody moving from Yucca Valley to Hi 10 about an hour ago. 247 and Hi 62 were recommended by the San Bernardino Sheriff's office to be avoided by folks living in the hi-desert.

If you are evacuating and waiting to see which way the fire runs, you may want to get on the road, because it might be so congested below as to preclude egress from a fast moving fire.

Additionally, the third largest solar flare from this morning is anticipated to cause havoc about midnight tonight. Things that might be impacted include satellite communications, cell phones, radio operations, microprocessor operations, and power surges. Last similar flare occured circa 2001/1989. In 1989, the flare which glanced by the Earth has been labeled as a cause for a grid power outage in Canada.

Might be wise to top off your gas tanks prior to midnight and seek a safe zone prior to that time.

Worst case, things could happen quickly without much warning after midnight if winds pick up. Best case, maybe nothing but a midnight traffic jam in the middle of the desert,....I've been through worse than the traffic jam, but would prefer not to endure the former.

Laughlin might be a fun time tonight.

2 Peter 3:10

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

Revelation 9:18

A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths.

Revelation 16:8

The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire.

There are more, but I think you get the point. The rainbow thing was just a reminder to God that He won't use water again. Fire is not covered by that policy.....