Tuesday, October 23, 2007
6:23 p.m.
Hooray - our voluntary evac status has been lifted... we can go HOME. I think we won't check out of the hotel till tomorrow, just in case...
5 p.m.
President Bush is coming on Thursday. Apparently the Govenator invited him. Here's hoping he does his business up in Malibu, eats some dim sum, and goes home.
We're up to a million people evacuated due to the fires. Dang that's unbelievable, n'est pas?
Our home is now in a "voluntary evacuation" area. What does that mean? Does it mean "if you want to be a moron and go home, that's your problem"?
I think I'll go color my hair.
4:23 p.m.
"This is the single largest movement of Americans in peace time since the Civil War"
- Brian Williams, NBC Nightly News
2:55 p.m.
Mountain Man has returned to his Cave to see what he can see. He called me from our kitchen, which apparently still exists. Everything's fine... the whole neighborhood is deserted and covered with a thin layer of black soot. Our house doesn't smell like smoke inside, and the wind direction has changed such that it seems sunny in our backyard, more so than the day we left. He's documenting the house on camera and then will return with Diet Cokes.
2:32 p.m.We are safe in the Best Western in Oceanside. The dogs are welcome and have patrolled the border. Becca has found pictures of whales, so she's good. Sarah is asking for a face mask because the air quality is for shit. It seems less windy, but what the heck do I know.
Noon press conference update:
- don't use cell phones. don't use electricity.
- 500k residents evacuated; Cedar Fire (the worst fire in California history - till now!) had 50K.
- 23 shelters in place. Evacuees need to chill out and stay put.
- No guarantees it will be safe to go home in the next day.
12:45 p.m.
We are taking a shortcut through the Ortegas to get to I5, as the way we actually came to Temecula is all closed off due to fire. This is getting old.
To pre-empt the inevitable question from my sister, no, we are not eating our way through California with kind and jovial Mexican people who provide Salsa. The Ortegas I'm talking about are hills linking Lake Elsinore to the California coast.
In case it's not clear what the roads look like, I'll draw you a rough map.
Sarah is about to barf in the backseat and is yelling "WHAT'S THE SPEED LIMIT?! SLOW DOWN! DADDEEEEEE!" Becca is in the backseat yelling "WHEEEE! GO DADDEEEEE!" Don is yelling "IT'S 40! I'M GOING 35 FOR GOD'S SAKE!" The phone is ringing. There are construction guys working on the road who obviously didn't get the memo to stay home due to a freakin' NATURAL DISASTER.
Me? I'm just trying to avoid Dachshund Chaos.
11:28 a.m.
OK we're on our way to new digs. Don has to use the bathroom for the 100,000th time (I shouldn't kid... we all take stress in our own way...) and then we're off to another adventure of road closures and the kids whacking each other in the back seat...
Next week we will be in Hawaii and I plan to spoil myself and everyone else senseless!
10:45 a.m.
The homeland security guy is coming. And Bush has sent his concern. I would upload a picture of Bush, but blogger, in its infinite wisdom, isn't letting me upload anything at the moment. Ah well never you mind. I'm sure the Feds will fix everything (in reality, I am hoping they just don't make anything worse...)
10:25 a.m.
Here's some entertainment from catdirtsez, who didn't take any heart from the 7 a.m. press conference. The contents of the press conference: 0% containment until the winds die down.
Really haven't relied on any sports and/or war metaphors here, but I think both sets of imagery are appropriate. Essentially, the three main fires are like an invading enemy, and we want to drive them from our territory. Really, it's a "war" metaphor.
Now, as for the analysis, we are losing the war (hello?), but we have hope of reinforcements both from our human allies and "mother nature." You know who is sooooo not into Southern California civilization right now? Mother Nature! Oh... the... irony.
It's kind of like "Lord of the Rings." All we need are the hobbits! Where's Harry Potter when you need him (shakes fist)!
Basically today is supposed the day we "win" the "war" with fire. Go San Diego! I'm not going to hypothesize about "losing", but some reporters already have. A few scenarios:
1. time for that cruise!
2. Lindbergh airport: "Get me on a plane... to anywhere!"
3. the Best Western in El Centro. Oh shit. I just burned my own escape route on this blog.
I'm sure it won't come to that, but we need to see some PROGRESS on this, the third day of fire. I'm thinking SF, LA, Tucson. Oooh... Tucson.
10:22 a.m.
We heard from others who are checking on their homes near where we live. All's well. Lots of ash and it's desolate, but no damage. We just have to pray the winds hold out during the day today.
10 a.m.
Here's a pretty awesome map. I've put our locations on for you.
9:50 a.m.Having breakfast in the hotel with other refugees. It's comforting actually. We're all ok.
8:45 a.m.
Lots of calls coming in... people are worried but we need to limit cell time. My partner went back to his house. He's worried about the looting. He's a New Yorker.
8:10 a.m.
I'm becoming a bit of a fire geek.
We had heard a rumor that the animals at the Wild Animal Park and Zoo were evacuated... here's the actual.
- The beasts at the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park are staying put. Zoo spokeswoman Yadira Galindo says the park's 3,500 animals are safest in their enclosures, protected by the park's fire break and irrigated areas, and, if conditions get worse, the animals can take refuge in their watering holes.
- The San Diego Zoo is open for business, out of the path of the fires. I'm sure the air quality is swell. All the other main attractions are closed though (SeaWorld et al... as if anyone could actually go and have fun at a time like this! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE SHAMU!!!)
Also, I read that 2300 inmates who are trained as fireman are helping fight the blaze. That's kick ass for some reason that I can't quite explain.
8:05 a.m.
We are online looking for fire news. Here's the overnight burn map. We're going to drive from Temecula to Oceanside today to a different hotel, closer to home but outside the danger area.
8:04 a.m. My skin woke me up. It's crying out for moisturizer! I guess it goes without saying that it is DRY here.
2 comments:
It's a relief to know that you are all well, even if your world is upside down. You make the whole mess sound like a hilarious adventure, but we all know better. We know you will stay put until all is safe and you can breathe in your own house. May the force be with you.
Oh hilarity abounded. (not really but I had to do SOMETHING other than sit around and worry...)
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