That's the Sylmar fire that's raging in Southern California. I took that photo just an hour or so ago from my backyard (I live just one city away). So far, it has destroyed 600 mobile homes and caused 10,000 residents to be evacuated. This fire comes right after the Montecito Tea Fire that destroyed more than 100 houses.
Fire is a constant worry here, and fire season is one big reason I don't like living in SoCal. Last year, there were big fires closer to where I live, so I hope we don't have a repeat of that this year. My condolences to those who lost their homes to the fires.
It's almost becoming a common place thing. I was going to my mom's today in Temecula and it seemed like it was no big deal that her boyfriend couldn't come out this weekend because all the freeways are blocked.
I guess it's the price we pay for not having to worry about blizzards every winter.
Any truth behind that?
Oh - and good luck.
Good luck to you.
I'll be passing thru on the I-5 later this week, enroute from Canada to Vista.
Be Well.
my condolences, also, to all those affected by the fires.
jodie
@Skipweasel: Well, the terrain of Southern California (homes abutting dry hills) is definitely to blame. There's also the Santa Ana winds, which can send embers flying miles away to start another fire.
I think the small fire suppression leading to big fire is more apropos to large forest fires - the type of grasses and brush that grow (and then get burned) in Southern California are largely driven by the cycle of rain/draught, not the presence or absence of small fires.
Florida and southern Texas have problems with Hurricanes in what is otherwise great weather and nature.
People have to weigh the environmental benefits with the possible natural catastrophes when deciding where to live. 99% of the time everything is blissful, but it boils down to those extremely rare instances of Murphy,s law when fate ultimately happens and you will lose virtually everything.
It's so sad how there's a major emergency here every year down here. It's terrible how many people lose their homes.
I understand fire though. I grew up in Northwestern Ontario (look west of Thunder Bay ON on Google maps) and we had major fires every summer. One year there was one fifty miles wide, and twenty from north to south about fifty miles from us - towns evacuated from the smoke, fears of towns burning up. I remember it well. I went to school in Wilmington CA and I remember fires in the hills. Makes you wonder why people live there. - Our thoughts are with you ... Dougall