I live in La Costa just two miles from the coast in North San Diego County (Carlsbad / Leucadia / Encinitas). On the local maps depicting wind activity our area is the only one in the county with coastal winds merely 0-1-2 MPH. The sky, as I look west to the ocean is sky blue. In every other direction, however, the skies are dark smoke & my car, parked outside, dozens of miles away from the fires, is covered with white ash & soot, as is the surface of our pool which I shut down as so many county power lines are now burned down they're asking everybody to conserve as much energy as possible. I spoke with my folks who live in La Jolla / UTC / Rose Canyon area where the direction of the fire has been sustained for some time and folks - in what was once as "far away" - in that area are even starting to pack up and prepare for possible evacuation given the new outbursts in Murphy Canyon and shutdown of 805 west on I-52. The mayor has expressed concern that Rancho Santa Fe (southeast of La Costa) could be next but much of the area near my house saw fire in more recent years past so I'm not concerned for my personal risk ... this time.
I say "this time" becauuse this situation irritates me to know end & it's unacceptable that it's spread this much & this far. I understand nature & the whims of fire - my perspective is that while I've spent most of my life in SD I grew up in fire laden areas that see these kinds of fires every year; I've always felt that SD fire officials were far from the levels they needed to be - both attitudinally, functionally & planning-wise - considering that so much of SD County contains the chapparal type brush areas that plague the hills of LA and other California areas that SD has been reasonably blessed to avoid the torching of to the degree now faced. That blessing has come with an obvious curse, however - the native vegetation that relies on periodic fires to assure proper, healthy growth (many species won't even germinate until subjected to fire temperature) has become decades old mix of tinder box material. The fact is SD County folks (government + fire officals) have not neglected this entirely - but have not done much beyond words to address the matter. Worse, still, is the regular cycle of annual California fires (from North-South) has always created the portential for a situation such as which arisen in which all of the county's resources are spread throughout the rest of the state and the few that are left can basically do little more than to simply try and save a home here or there and just watch the thing burn. Apparently there is one plane now circling above Ramona that was brought in late today but the only other helicopters & boraid / retardant bombers are non-operational & undergoing maintenance.
Regards to all and sympathies to those who've lost so much. Remember - the fire dept. will tell you after your house burns down - they have ZERO - NONE - NADA responsibility or obligation to do ANYTHING to protect your home or posessions.
Latest news - 95% certain that Monday Night Football will be postponed.