Wildfires rage in Southern California

[ForceUser]

What an exhausting day, both physically and mentally. For those not in the know, San Diego County in California is aflame tonight. The second largest fire in the region's history has swept down upon us from the north, and at the time I write this, hundred of homes have been destroyed and nearly a dozen people have lost their lives as a result of the fire. Many of my friends, including some who post to this board, have homes in the path of the blaze. Tonight some of them are wondering if their homes will still be standing when the dawn comes.

We watched the flames snake down the ridge line about a mile away from Clay's (Hjorimir's) house - timidly at first, held at bay by the wind. Then, after nightfall, the wind shifted direction, and ten- and twenty-foot sheets of fire sprung up from the dry brush and started to march down the hill toward his neighborhood. It inspired in us fear and awe. We got the hell out of there.

Tonight Clay and his wife, their two dogs, and their most important possessions will be staying in my neighborhood, well away from the conflagration for now. But it will be another four days before fire teams expect to be able to contain this massive wildfire, and who knows where wind and fuel will blow it between now and then?

Thousands of families in San Diego have been evacuated from their homes tonight, huddling in shelters. Many fled with minutes to spare and lack basic neccessities. No matter where you are, if you'd like to help, the San Diego Red Cross asks you to go here.

 

[Brian K. Moseley]

What an exhausting day, both physically and mentally.

Thanks for posting this. Qualcomm Stadium, Balboa Park, and many schools are serving as evac shelters, and the Red Cross and volunteers have their hands full.

I'm located a few miles from (one of) the fire lines. The mayor said today that many of the firefighters have been working 36 hours straight.

It's going to be a very long night for San Diego. Thankfully the loss of life is minimal so far.

 

[mythusmage]

To reassure folks, the whole of San Diego County is not on fire. But, much of the county is under a cloud of smoke.

The main fire is located in and around the communities of Scripps Ranch, Miramar and the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, Tierra Santa, and the City of Poway. Santana winds are blowing, so it's possible the fire could reach Mission Valley and spead well west of Interstate 15.

The other big fire is located in the area of Valley Center and has reached the outskirts of Northern Escondido.

Last I've heard, help is on it's way, and should be hear sometime tomorrow. But the Santana conditions may last into Wednesday.

The big fire may spread into Mira Mesa, Carmel Mountain Ranch and points west. At the worst it could reach the sea. In the south there is a possibility it may spread down into Mission Valley, and east into Mission Gorge and the communities there. There have been reports of fire in and around the City of El Cajon, but they may be isolated incidents.

It don't look good right now. I'm hoping things get better tomorrow.

 

[Mistwell]

For anyone interested in up to date info and satellite photos, see these sites:

http://www.firedetect.noaa.gov/viewer.htm

http://www.nifc.gov/firemaps.html

http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/fire_imagery.php

http://www.arb.ca.gov/smp/progdev/techtool/ttdlinks.htm

http://cad.chp.ca.gov/ (under 'searches' choose 'Quick Search"
then another dropdown menu labelled 'popular searches' appears
choose "fire", click on "go", a list of fires of all kinds comes up.)

I'm very sorry to hear the fires have impacted several gamers who post here, and I wish them well.

 

[DerianCypher]

Hey all,
I figured I'd just check in. The fires are raging around the Inland Empire and in the San Bernardino National Forest.

So far a few of my friends have lost their homes and I almost lost mine.

Last estimate of damage in all so cal was about 1000 homes destroyed.

 

[Mark]

I am very sorry to hear about this terrible misfortune. I will keep you all in my thoughts and hope that the trouble is resolved quickly.

 

[Mistwell]

Half a million acres burned so far.
1200 homes/structures gone.
16-25 deaths (depending on how they count heart attacks).
$2 Billion more in costs for the State of California to deal with, while in the midst of the largest budget crises we have ever seen.

My friend in San Diego, who played D&D with us for about a year, has fires in 360 degree radius around her house (though not immediately near). Her valuables are packed in their car, and they are prepared to evacuate at any moment.

A friend of a friend lost her cabin in San Bernadino. We were planning to play Stargate SG-1 there at some point.

Big Bear is burning, where I stay once a year and play games with a large group of friends, and where I have gone every year since I was a kid.

The Simi fire is approaching Chatsworth, where my once-favorite (and now fairly run-down) game store is located. The flames of this fire can be seen from my parents house (our family house), and from their business, though neither structure is in any immediate danger.

The air is so thick with smoke and ash that nobody, in most of Los Angeles, San Bernadino, and San Diego counties, should go outside for any lengthy period of time.

Outside my window at night, in the distance, I can see what can only be described as Mount Doom. Smoke and haze cover an area that glows red and orange.

These fires suck.

 

[Mistwell]

Over 2000 confirmed homes gone now, and 18 direct deaths confirmed, with certainty as to more deaths that they just need to discover after flames pass...

 

[Simplicity]

This isn't the second largest fire in San Diego's history. This is the
largest fire ever in San Diego. It's not even close. If you consider
the multiple fires down here as one "fire", then it's almost 3 times
as large as the next largest fire in San Diego history. 600,000 acres
is HUGE. That's almost a thousand square miles (or in terms that are
easier to understand: one Rhode Island), and the fire's nowhere near
contained.

The fires were about a half mile from my work. Almost half of
my office had to evacuate their homes. One of them lost their house.
Some of the houses that are standing are still rendered uninhabitable
by the sheer amount of heat and smoke damage. They were right up
to the apartments we had almost moved into the day of the fires (luckily
our apartment complex offered us a better deal, and so we stayed).

It's downright apocalyptic.