Southern California Fires -- Live Thread 10/29

[amom]

Perhaps she is comforting him. Children are like that.

Agreed. That was my first impression, and they sure are.

[Yaelle]

Both KFI and KABC are having drives to collect money for the Red Cross and they PROMISE if you write the correct thing on the front (something like Southern CA Fire Relief Fund but don't quote me, look on their web sites) that the money will NOT go into RC general funding but will be used exclusively for people homeless from these fires.

[nicmarlo]

Article Published: Wednesday, October 29, 2003 - 6:01:48 PM PST

Lake Arrowhead fire rages on


By Evan LaGasse and David Schwartz
Staff Writers
LAKE ARROWHEAD -- Walls of flames fueled by thousands of tinder-dry and diseased trees ripped out-of-control through San Bernardino Mountains resort communities Wednesday destroying dozens of homes and forcing evacuations of thousands of more residents.

Turned into eerie ghost towns lurking apprehensively under a pall of smoke, the alpine towns waited helplessly Wednesday in the path of the seemingly unstoppable Old Fire.

On its quest for fuel and pushed by ocean-borne southwesterly wind gusts up to 25 mph, the 200-foot tall wall of fire advanced into Lake Arrowhead, the resort town's 9,000 full-time residents evacuated and only weary firefighters arrayed against the flames.

* * *
Predictions of a 40 percent chance of rain by Friday were cited as a cause for some hope.

Overnight, the wildfire jumped Cajon Pass and moved toward Summit Valley and Hesperia on one front, while its back end continued to devastate the mountains, hovering dangerously close to Running Springs and Green Valley Lake after making its way up Highway 18.

Firefighters on both fronts were forced to watch trees and brush go up in flames, resorting only to saving structures as the fire burned out of control.

``We have a defensive strategy because there's no way we can fight 15 miles of flame,'' said U.S. Forest Service Division Supervisor Marty Hamel as he waited for the fire to arrive at the corner of Highway 138 and Summit Valley road in an unincorporated area near Hesperia.

Bulldozers took out large areas of vegetation at the site in an attempt to create a buffer between the fire and a local gas station while other firefighters waited to employ their full arsenal of hoses and foam to push the fire past the station's pumps, propane tanks and trucks.

By early afternoon, homes were burning in the mountain community of Cedarpines Park.
http://www.presstelegram.com/Stories/0,1413,204~24823~1731755,00.html

[viaveritasvita]

There have been reports of drizzle scattered throughout the basin today.

Get outta the city!!

Oh Lord, please please bring rain, big rain, torrents of rain -- so much that everyone will know the prayers of Your people were answered. We ask for a miracle, God, in His precious name!!

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[nicmarlo]

Very good, Fitz! Thanks much.

[dogbyte12]

Taking food, money, clothes, halloween candy and costume donations at Food 4 Less today, and tomorrow from 4PM to 11PM at these locations.

FOOD 4 LESS #389 16991 Valley Boulevard Fontana, CA 92335

FOOD 4 LESS #354 16208 Parthenia North Hills, CA 91343

FOOD 4 LESS #376 19200 Soledad Canyon Road Santa Clarita, CA 91351

You can also go make an online donation to the Salvation Army at their web page or mail or hand a check to your local Salvation Army and earmark it in the comment section "California Wildfires"

[dg62]

I checked the city website about a half hour ago and now they just refer vaguely to 28,000 burned acres...no mention if these are inside the city or county or what. Kind of ominous.

[rangerX]

My son is a USFS Helitack crewman based in Ramona, Calif. He's up to his neck in Julian and environs as we speak. Please pray for him!

We'll be praying for him most definitely. I've seen him fly over our house about 2 miles from the Ramona air base many times. He saved our little cluster of houses over on Highland Valley Road from a 40 acre fire about 2-3 months ago.

[lainie]

thanks :) I am gettin punchy, though.

[ErnBatavia]

I have 3 jugs of diazanon concentrate left. They will have to pry them from my cold, bug-free hands.

Ditto on my Dursban!

[76834]

Doofus Grayout was just on the Fox Greta show.
Sez that the current fire was the "Worst Disaster in California History"
Correct me if I'm wrong but I always thought that the 1906 SF earthquake was the worst.

[PhiKapMom]

Here is the info from The Oklahoman newspaper site:

Disaster Relief Fund:
As ferocious firestorms burn in California, the American Red Cross is meeting the emergency needs of the evacuees. With our Disaster Relief Fund virtually empty, we need your support now, more than ever. Please help victims of the California wildfires and the people affected by thousands of disasters across the U.S. each year by donating to the Disaster Relief Fund.

Donate now, and Pepco Holdings (utility company) will match your disaster gift dollar for dollar, up to $100,000. For more information, click here.

[Mrs.Liberty]

Gumby Davis was the worst disaster in CA History.

[nicmarlo]

we are Americans and we are pulling together.

Yes, we are dogbyte. It's what we Americans really do best, when it counts, we're all in it together (except for the idiots that commit the tragedies).

[null and void]

That's soooooo last century...

[Dianna]

I'd appreciate any current info on Running Springs. My niece lives there and we haven't heard from her family since Sunday. Cannot believe they'd just stay there and burn. Damn her mother for not calling...

[celmak]

NOT ONE OF THESE FIRES HAS HIT A FIRE BREAK. WHY?, BECAUSE THE ENVIRO-ANIMAL-RIGHTS-WHACOS HAVE MADE THEM ILLEGAL !!!!

[Letitring]

Yes, I did that several days ago. Local Salvation Army is always a good contact.

[nicmarlo]

Don't get so technical, there. You know he can't remember back that far.