A note from a Midwesterner about the California fires

[Bluzmann57]

First of all, I hope all the people out there are safe, even if they are in a football stadium. But the main point I wanted to make is that once again, the firefighters and first responders are proving themselves to be heroic people. Man, putting oneself in the middle of that must be some scary stuff and few of us could do it. Yes, I know they are mostly above the flames trying to douse them from the air, but the possibility of smoke inhalation must still be there. So I will just say three cheers for the brave men and women who are trying like crazy to control what must be an impossible situation.
And please note, I have relatives out there, although they are a bit north of San Diego, and they are well off, but far from wealthy. I certainly don't want anything to happen to them or anyone else out there. Stay safe Californians.

[Suich]

1. I saw some firefighters make a run for it on TV yesterday.

There were flames on both sides of the road. I have no idea how they do it...I don't even like watching films of it.

I second that three cheers!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[SoCalDem]

2. 4 of them were injured (not seriously) n/t

[VP505]

3. Don't sell the

air crews short, its no picnic up there either, it gets just as scary there also.

Yes, I know they are mostly above the flames trying to douse them from the air, but the possibility of smoke inhalation must still be there.

[Breeze54]

4. The firefighters are on the ground, not just in the air.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071023/ap_on_re_us/california_wildfires_182"> Calif. fires consume hundreds of homes

By ALLISON HOFFMAN and GILLIAN FLACCUS,
Associated Press Writers
1 hour, 24 minutes ago

SAN DIEGO -

Walls of wind-whipped flames consumed hundreds of homes across tinder-dry Southern California on
Tuesday, raising the number of people forced to flee the flames into the hundreds of thousands.

snip-->

By day three, the dozen wildfires had burned more than 1,300 homes and businesses, and the destruction
may only be the start for the region. With temperatures rising and wind gusts remaining fierce,
the flames were proving nearly impossible to fight.

snip-->

Since they began Sunday, the fires have burned at least 373,000 acres, or 583 square miles
— an area larger than New York City. Fully a quarter of the California coast was ablaze.
Flames climbed halfway toward the Nevada line, chewing through chunks of seven counties
and devastating numerous communities.

At least 346,000 homes were ordered to evacuate in San Diego County alone, sheriff's officials said.
But the total number could be much higher, and state officials were still struggling to estimate how
many people had fled.

Authorities hadn't even begun to estimate the dollar value of the damage in some of the hardest-hit areas.
A fire that struck Ramona, a city outside San Diego, had destroyed 650 structures. A blaze near Fallbrook,
on the eastern edge of Camp Pendleton, wiped out another 500, or three buildings for every one firefighter
allocated to it.
And 200 more buildings burned in a fire just south of Potrero, across from the Mexican city of Tecate.

snip-->

Fire crews and fleeing residents described desperate conditions that were sure to get worse.
Temperatures across Southern California were about 10 degrees above average and were expected
to approach 100 degrees Tuesday in Orange and San Diego counties.

snip-->

The fires were exploding and shooting embers in all directions, preventing crews from forming
traditional fire lines and severely limiting aerial bombardment, officials said.

snip-->

East of Los Angeles, a two-front fire destroyed at least 160 homes in the Lake Arrowhead area, the same
mountain resort community where hundreds of homes were lost four years earlier. Officials said at least 100
more homes were destroyed Tuesday in the mountain community of Running Springs, not far away.

more at link...

It's not just in San Diego either. LA, Orange County are also involved.

[Zoigal]

5. Thank you,Bluzmann57

for your concern. p