San Diego County fires - Live Thread 10/26

[socal_parrot]

New threat regarding San Diego County fires.

[socal_parrot]

Pleas post your most current information regarding the fires ravaging San Diego County.

[socal_parrot]

Ping

[slimer]

It's dark and raining ash in Kearny Mesa. I just saw on the news that there is a fire in Scripps Ranch now too.

[WestCoastGal]

BREAKING NEWS: FIRES RAGE OUT OF CONTROL ACROSS THE COUNTY

Printer-friendly version

(10-26-2003) - Two major fires are burning across the county this morning, fueld by strong Santa Ana Winds.

The first fire is burning east of Ramona heading in a southwest direction towards Lakeside. A second fire is burning in the Valley Center area near Lake Wohlford.

The "Cedar Fire" started at around midnight and is burning an area of Ramona and Julian. 6,000+ acres have burned so far. Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Eucalyptus Hills, San Diego Country Estates (where the fire is said to have started), the Ramona Country Oaks area, Barona, Muth Valley and other areas.

Barona Casino is under lockdown, but is not under evacuation at this time.

Local 8 has unconfirmed reports of 6 structures being burned. Animals have been evacuated and Local 8 News does have word of injuries.

Several roads have been closed including Route 67 between Maple View and Poway Road and Wildcat Canyon Road, which is completely shut down according to a California Highway Patrol spokesman.

Evacuation Centers have been set up at Ramona High School, Santana High School and Olive Pierce Middle School. Animals are being evacuated to the Rodeo grounds on Lakeside Road.

The "Paradise Fire" is burning in Valley Center. At least 1400 acres have been burned so far. The fire started at around 2:30 this morning and homes have been destroyed.

The southbound 76 is closed at Cole Grade Road and Valley Center Road is closed between Route 76 and Lake Wohlford.

An evacuation center has been set up at Lake Wohlford and Valley Center Middle School.

The cause of both fires is unknown at this time.

[socal_parrot]

I think Travis McGee is right. This is no coincidence.

[Travis McGee]

There is too much breaking news here in SDC to digest, flipping TV channels. There are reports that already since this AM 100s of homes have been burned to the ground, 40,000 homes are threatened immediately, and 100s of 1000s are being evaced.

The sky here in Pacific Beach is a sickly yellow-brown.....

[per loin]

On the cable networks, the LA fires are hardly mentioned. The SD, not at all.

[WestCoastGal]

Hopefully your news channels will stay on....LA is down to one and that will probably end at 9:00. Cable news had the Baghdad RPG attack news conference on for a long time, I haven't seen any fire coverage there.

[pollywog]

are you saying 100s of homes burned to the ground in SD county TOO? or are you referring to the Grand Prix up here in our area???( Rancho Cuchamonga /San Bern.)

[Mr. Mojo]

I think Travis McGee is right. This is no coincidence.

In what way? ....Terrorism?

[Travis McGee]

The timing of the fires in LA County, SD County, and the power towers in Northern Cali being unbolted does not look like a coincidence.

The Santa Ana winds were forecast days ago.

I wonder if ELF or other terror groups put out the word that this weekend would be the weekend for mass arson attacks?

It's getting darker and darker outside, even with the house sealed the smell of smoke is pervasive inside. Ash is flying outside, and I'm more than 10 miles from any fires, here in Pacific Beach.

[meanie monster]

When is RamaDONG?

[maggief]

SIGNONSANDIEGO
8:26 a.m. October 26, 2003
http://signonsandiego.com/news/fires/20031026-0826-sdfires.html


TIM AUGUSTINE

Three wind-driven wildfires churned through housing tracts and thousands of acres of brush across San Diego County Sunday morning. At least two people were reported dead.

Fires burned in Ramona, Valley Center and in the Marron Valley area near the Mexican border.

A huge plume of smoke towered over much of the county, raining a thick layer of ash stretching to downtown San Diego. Dozens of roads were closed to through traffic.

The first fire, which started around midnight, was burning east of Ramona heading in a southwest direction toward Lakeside. More than 10,000 acres already have burned, and many buildings were destroyed, according to Lora Loews, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry.

At least seven homes were burned and mandatory evacuations were ordered in the San Diego Country Estates area, where the fire was said to have started.

Scores more homes burn throughout Southern California as winds drive fires toward new neighborhoods





Residents of Ramona Country Oaks area Ramona Country Estates also were evacuated. The Barona Casino had not yet been evacuated.

An evacuation center was set up at Ramona High School Performing Arts Center at 1401 Hanson Lane in Ramona.

Another evacuation center for animals was set up on the Rodeo grounds on Lakeside Road.

A retired firefighter reported to the California Highway Patrol that two bodies were found in a burned-out car at 11745 Lake Vincente Road, south of Ramona.

Several roads were closed, including Route 67 between Maple View and Poway Road and Wildcat Canyon Road, which is completely shut down, according to a CHP spokesman.

The second fire, in the Valley Center area near Lake Wohlford, burned 1,500 acres along with several homes and outbuildings, authorities said. The fire began around 2:30 a.m.

Southbound Highway 76 was closed at Cole Grade and Valley Center roads.

An evacuation center was set up at Lake Wohlford and Valley Center.

The third fire has was reported at Marron Valley, near the border with Mexico. A CDF fire spokeswoman reported that as much as 500 acres were burning there.
(snip)

[Z-28]

Folks, fires don't self-start at 2am and 4am ... not even during santanas.

[Travis McGee]

YES, 100s of houses have been burned to the ground in just a few hours in SD County, and 40,000 more homes at least are under direct threat.

Nobody is saying terrorism on TV, but they are saying arson, and showing how the fires seemed to spread very fast along several roads.

[Mr. Mojo]

Technically on the new moon (which was yesterday), but it's supposed to start when some designated moonwatcher actually sees the first sliver of a moon after the new moon, which is probably tomorrow.

[meanie monster]

designated moonwatcher, lol, thanks

[Travis McGee]

Admin, please move this to Breaking News.

This is HUGE, this should be leading the national news, and will be in a short time as the scope of this arson campaign becomes clear outside of California.

[null and void]

Ramadan starts today.

[pollywog]

Thanks for the update on SD County Travis. I somehow feel that terrorists will use ANY possible means to attack the heart of America, her homes!!