To: All; sandyeggo; nicmarlo; PhiKapMom; FITZ; Conservative4Ever; lainie
I'm preparing an email to my friends using info from this thread and some personal info. If anyone cares to (has the time to) review it and make suggestions/corrections/additions/deletions, I'd appreciate it.....
My online friends from KA tell me that the news reports (so-called!) are not reporting the extent of the devastation of the fires. These fires are not the usual, seasonal brush fires. Its an absolute tragedy whats happening there. Theyre asking for people to send emails telling of the scope of the fires and asking for PRAYERS.
Its hard to imagine the kind of fire and the speed with which it travels when its burning up dry brush and dead trees. The environmentalist wackos should be ashamed of themselves (then they should be hung) for preventing controlled fires to thin out (reasonable forest management as the fire/forestry experts have been begging the KA govt to do for years now!) the brush, etc. in order to save spotted owls, beetles, and trees, but I digress.
Firefighters (FF) from San Diego (SD) were sent up north to Los Angeles (LA) area -- San Bernardino (San Berdu) -- late last week to assist there. When the fires started in SD, they didnt have a full capacity of FF.
Blocks and blocks of homes in Scripps Ranch (SD) are burned to the ground. I used to live right across the freeway from these homes.
My friend in Valley Center (SD) was evacuated at a moments notice; when they were allowed to return, their neighbors home was burned to the ground. Domesticated animals (including horses) were running wild owners on evac orders let them out of barns so they wouldnt be trapped.
Santee, Lakeside, El Cajon (all SD) on fire. Friends evacd out of Santee, but I think they were allowed back home as of this morning.
Huge sections 16 miles out-of-control -- burning in Alpine (SD). Ruths daughter believes her home in Alpine is gone they were evacd a few days ago. Alpine fire now (8:30 PM 10/28/03) moving into the beautiful, little town of Julian. The last time I saw Pam (before she died), we visited Julian. Recently, the people of Julian fought the good fight and kept McDonalds out of their idyllic area. Pine Valley is on fire. SD east county is in dire straits.
Lake Arrowhead area (not the town yet) is on fire; the skyline looks like a mushroom cloud. Big Bear is being evacd Hwy 18, aka Rim of The World, is on fire. Some in this area are reporting firestorm activity (which means, I think, a special weather pattern created by an out-of-control fire a very bad thing for FF).
Nearly the entire town of Cuyamaca -- over 100 homes/businesses is gone. Cuyamaca was a little piece of Americana 1950s architecture and values to match. It cannot be replaced.
San Berdu fire still burning. Simi Valley on fire. Otay Mesa and into Mexico on fire.
It is raining ash at March Air Force Base. Friends in Clairemont Mesa area said several inches of ash on ground. Sky dark all over (except coastal areas). Theyre choking on smoke.
Homes not burned are smoke damaged one friend said his home smelled like burnt BBQ.
Smaller, spot fires EVERYWHERE. Thousands without power. Smoke can be seen as far away as Palm Springs.
Air choppers not able to drop water/fire retardant after dark and are not able to fly in some areas due to smoke and high Santa Ana winds. FF and forestry personnel are utterly exhausted!
At least one fire (and probably several more) started by arsonist/terrorist. Police are looking for two suspects seen leaving the area. SD fires started on the first day of Islamic Ramadan one cannot dismiss this piece of info in this day and age. One was reportedly started by a hunter who shot off a flare when he got lost from his group.
Dont know about today, but on Sunday, ALL MAJOR FREEWAYS IN SD WERE SHUT DOWN (except I-5)! You have no idea what kind of gridlock this caused. Just imagine all the cars stopped for miles coming into SD from Arizona a stretch of freeway that is desert. One of the most beautiful freeways Ive ever driven 163 going toward the world famous SD zoo was closed and on fire.
Looting is taking place in the evacd areas. Citizens are staying behind to stand guard, but then getting trapped or getting in the way of FF who have more important things to do than go back into an area that was supposed to be evacd to deal with both looters and citizens.
Last I heard: 600,000 acres consumed. Over 1500 homes. 17 dead. FF and forestry personnel saying this is the worst fire devastation theyve ever seen.
People 30 miles from fires said it was pitch black at 3:00 in the afternoon.
The grief is going to be very, very deep for many people lost lives, lost homes, lost pets, photos, family heirlooms.
The President responding appropriately.
PLEASE PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR FELLOW AMERICANS!!
[see attached map from SD Union/Tribune yesterday morning its gotten worse since then]....
END EMAIL and thanks for any help.
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2,171 posted on
10/28/2003 6:41:03 PM PST by
viaveritasvita
("When Love takes you in, everything changes.")
To: viaveritasvita
I remember last time this year ---- Arabs were seen buying up a bunch of candy in Costco stores. Warnings about Halloween were everywhere. Maybe there's something about this week to them ---- well..... besides Ramadan?
2,182 posted on
10/28/2003 6:44:09 PM PST by
FITZ
To: viaveritasvita
You might add that one official was saying that it may take a "season ending event" (read lots of moisture) to stop these fires.
Three weeks of fire is not out of the question - according to the fire official interviewed on national cable news.
To: viaveritasvita
Sounds like you've gotten everything down perfect in that e-mail, via; you certainly down need any help from me. Great letter!
To: viaveritasvita
Great - I couldn't add a thing.
To: viaveritasvita
Re your 2171:
Smoke can be seen as far away as Palm Springs I'm in western AZ, approx 150 miles east of the fires. Right after the sun went down this evening, while the sky was still light, we could very clearly see the smoke over there . . . . a long, long line of smoke across the western sky.
I would love it if Arnold's first act as Governor would be to abolish all the idiot environmental laws and return common sense to the people. I'd love to hear him tell the citizens to clear deadwood in the forests and cut down whatever bushes you want on your own property.
az
To: viaveritasvita
Very strong e-mail. It made me pause for a minute and think about this whole situation.
2,306 posted on
10/28/2003 7:24:58 PM PST by
meyer
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