Massive Evacuation Ordered West Of I-15 Qualcomm Stadium Opened For Evacuees

NBC San Diego ^ | 10/22/2007

[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.

[Sunnyflorida]

Rush is explaining now that certain parts of CA are ALWAYS in a “drought.” People on the east coast are so often clueless on CA. Because parts of CA don’t get snow and freezing ice they think CA does not have seasons (ditto FL). Too bad practical science and geography are not taught in schools.

[SnarlinCubBear]

SHUT UP! Go start your own thread on DU, you ill-mannered NJ jerk!

[Dr. Eckleburg]

“Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is enemy action.” — Ian Fleming

[steve86]

Now we’ve got logging roads strategically placed to serve as fire breaks in ways that limit most of our fires to a mere 100 acres.

As though roads can be cut over many of these western mountain ranges.

[Smogger]

Orange County Fire Authority firefighter Bernie Brawner walks the fire line near Portola Parkway and Sand Canyon Avenue in Irvine, where a fast-moving blaze swept out of the hills and moved along the 241 toll road near the 133 Freeway. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) October 21, 2007

A flurry of fire retardant sprayed from a helicopter heads toward a structure on Pacific Coast Highway. Firefighters were able to save the building. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) October 21, 2007

A firefighter climbs onto a structure as Malibu Presbyterian Church burns. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) October 21, 2007(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) October 21, 2007

[Carry_Okie]

To the contrary, CO; they are VERY good at self-perpetuation

Only justified by failure. If they succeeded, they'd be out of a job.

[Strategerist]

As though roads can be cut over many of these western mountain ranges.

And people keep thinking these are "forest fires" - Chaparral Scrub is a unique ecosystem based on the California climate that has no parallel in the east.

It's uniquely fireprone and the fires move orders of magnitudes faster than anything in the east. In fact, it's evolved to burn, and burn repeatedly.

[mad_as_he$$]

I do not think you understand Santa Ana winds. Anything over 45 mph forget it. SA winds routinely reach 50+mph and come from the high desert. The humidity can drop to 3% in hours and the winds go all afternoon well into the evening. A fire with that kind of wind would blow by your firebreaks before the trucks could get a hose out.

[Smogger]

Click here for a Google map of all Fires!

[TankerKC]

Such large fires *can* be stopped with proper land management from mature adults.

Do you bring them in from New York?

[Smogger]

Two new fires have just broken out in San Bernadino County. These will qualify as "forest fires." I suspect that they wil discover that these fires have been intentionally set along with several other "new" fires.

9:03 a.m.: Fires in Lake Arrowhead prompt evacuations
By Stacia Glenn

LAKE ARROWHEAD - Two fires are raging in the mountains, forcing hundreds of people from their homes. A wildfire started at 5 a.m. in Grass Valley just north of Lake Arrowhead and has burned more than 100 acres. Mandatory evacuations are in place for Deer Lodge Park, north of Aleutian Drive; and all streets north of Brentwood Drive.

There are voluntary evacuations for North Lake Arrowhead, along Grass Valley Road, Twin Peaks and Rim Forest.

A second fire, dubbed the Slide Fire, broke out in Green Valley Lake, where there is also a mandatory evacuation.

All highways west of Big Bear Dam are closed.

[SE Mom]

Does Alabama have the Santa Ana winds?

[17th Miss Regt]

Your response to Southack’s comment is certainly valid and yes, the firebreaks would not help much. But the other point was that managing forests will help in some cases is quite valid. In Cali, we don’t allow management of the environment, because of the high value placed on the Nurovian dancing tree shrew. So it burns (as do the Nurovian dancing tree shrews) on a fairly regular basis. We are not allowed to clear brush away from our neighborhoods lest we disturb the habitat of some Piccolomainian ground snark. And then the enviro-whackos come on and say we must be more unobtrusive in nature. I am beginning to think this place is a lost cause.

[Dumpster Baby]

Google map of Coronado/North Island NAS

[BlessedBeGod]

Thanks!

[mpackard]

thanks!!!!

[mpackard]

(daughter)Thank you, I’ll tell her.: )

[Mrs.Liberty]

The only base that could possibly be impacted (at this time)would be MCAS Miramar.... It is west of I15 and East of I5, but it is below the area currently being marked as the evacuation boundary (which is the 56).

MCB Camp Pendleton is on the coast, and a little to the north, in Oceanside. Naval Station San DIego is on the coast, and south of the current fire areas.