Posted on 10/22/2007 8:06:14 AM PDT by Sleeping Freeper
SAN DIEGO -- With fire spreading quickly westward, San Diego County officials ordered the evacuation of a huge area east of Interstate 15 between Del Dios Highway and Highway 56 early Mon"This is the worst fire this county has ever seen -- worse than the Cedar Fire [of 2003]," Sheriff Bill Kolender said.
At a news conference shortly after 6 a.m., officials said fires had spread dramatically overnight, whipped by fierce Santa Ana winds. They said fire had jumped Interstate 15 at Lake Hodges and was burning in parts of Rancho Bernardo. Because of the explosive and unpredictable nature of the blazes, all residents living between Interstate 15 and Interstate 5 from Del Dios Highway in the north to Highway 56 in the south were told to begin evacuating.
"This fire is moving very quickly," San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders said. "Watch TV, listen to the radio and have your car prepared to leave."
Among the communities in the evacuation area are Rancho Sante Fe, Carmel Highlands, Rancho Bernardo, Del Mar Heights and Fairbanks Ranch and parts of Rancho Penasquitos.
Officials have opened Qualcomm Stadium in Mission Valley to handle the large number of evacuees.
Sanders asked everyone in San Diego County to minimize the use of cell phones to leave the airways free for the use of emergency personnel.day.
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcsandiego.com ...
I just got off the phone with my wife. My in-laws aren’t worried as I suspected. FIL said if the fires moves too close he will just move the “house” to Catalina.
Hey there,,,ya’ll be safe,,,looks like it’s going to burn south of Lake Hodges,,,straight to Rancho Santa Fe...
Stop the flamewar, please. The other poster has been asked to stop as well.
That is terrible... that urge to turn back to one’s home can be fatal. I am so sorry to hear that. God bless him and his family.
I feel badly for the animals...both inside and outside of the park.
Prayers for all those going through this.
It is one thing to evacuate an approaching storm, quite another when fire is involved. I’d be terrified!
:-)
It really hits home when you hear a story like that.
Prayers for your co-worker and for all affected by these fires.
Thank you, Count. This is wall to wall coverage on local television.
I’m watching a reporter and can see how hard the wind is blowing on the trees in the background and on her hair.
This wind doesn’t blow in just one direction. It “whips” around in a crazy was... the devil wind.
Cal State San Marcos being evacuated.
I was in the Bay Area - actually out on the Bay - when the big Oakland fire took out thousands of houses. It only stopped when the wind stopped.
Yes, although some of the park animals have concrete shelters.
Are some of the San Diego internet connections down? I am having problems accessing...
Thank you, RR... and thank you for your “side note”... I agree!!
The tree huggers won’t even allow the plowing or controlled burning of underbrush. Unfortunately, CA is now reaping the rewards of letting those idiots prohibit the things that need to be done to save both property and wildlife.
I read after the most recent rash of bad fires there, folks were renting herds of goats to clear brush on their land.
Those folks will probably come out ok.
Lessons learned.
That could mean that we have entered the last phases of the Santa Ana. They tend to travel in a more westerly or southwesterly direction during the later phase as the high pressure moves more to the east. At the start they are southerly or slightly south easterly blowing.
AGREED about the ROP
However, normal causes are likely most places???
ALL:
I have loved ones in Poway and WEST of I-5 slightly south of Del Mar . . .
I gather Poway has been evacuated???
How’s HIDDEN RIDGE COURT ENCINITAS 92024???
I don’t understand why school will be closed because of air quality when the kid goes 2 blocks away to his house and breaths in the same air.
The neighborhood where we lost six houses was on the north side of Hodges. The fire was running down the riverbed for a while, but this latest wind change probably will take it in the back door of RSF. It's also busily making its way up Black Mountain halfway between RSF and the 15.
Thank you RR : )
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