Or at least it seems like it. :eek: We came home from the high desert last night (via the 215), and I could see all the fires that are burning, and how they're coming down the mountains into residential areas of San Bernadino.
I did the usual clean up at the car wash after the desert ride, but it was just a waste of time. Even though we are quite some distance from the fires (maybe 20 miles), the air is full of white ash (looks like snow coming down). The northern sky looks erie this morning. :scream:
On CNBC tv there was a report that it was caused by a grand prix or something , Anybody know ? Or is it just burning up there where they have a grand prix?
The fires are widespread (there are few different fires going on), so I don't think it has anything to do with a GP. There have been stories about arsonists.
If Thumbs can see the effects all the way down in Huntington Beach, it must be real bad.
I guess this post warrants the Off Topic Forum, but I put it here so every DRN'r might see it.
It was snowing here in late August up here as well. 30,000 people evacuated, 238 homes destroyed in my hometown of about 110,000. There is nothing firefighters can do when the fire becomes a fire storm, genterating its own hurricane force winds, as it did up here.
I just heard that Glen Helen is gone, went up and over Mt St Helen around 11:00pm last night and today it's gone :whiner: :whiner:
And now we have one out here by me, started in Anza around 1pm , has gone though Vail lake and is now around Lake Skinner, that's about 4 miles N/E of here
Came down through the pass early Sunday morning returning from a trip back to the East coast. There was fire on both sides of the freeway. At that time they had the 15 freeway closed at Geln Helen and they closed the 215 just after we made it through.
A very surreal scene. The fire was named the Grand Prix fire. When the first fire offical gets on scene, they name the fire. Usually from some point of interest or street sign or whatever. That is how they get their names.
The GP fire merged with the 'Old' or Watterman fire and has become one large fire.
So far, ten wildfires in Cali. Over 800 homes damaged or destroyed, 13 people dead.
That's some bad juju. As dry as this summer has been (and the way people are bad about having a defensible space around their homes), I agree with Ol'89er. It has been a matter of when for years now.
Sorry to hear things are getting close to you guys. Put some soaker hoses on the roof and pray for rain.
A year or two ago, we had a terrible ice storm in SE Oklahoma. That thing is a tenderbox of anreal proportions. The area is 70% forrest and will burn hot and for quite some time. There is so much tender laying on the ground you can barely walk thru the woods. Too bad some of the enviro's don't see how necessary regular fires are.
These wild fires are near impossible to contain because of the amount of fuel laying on the ground, add to that the Santa Anna winds and you guys have a recipe for disaster. Good luck!
The Arrowhead area has 1000's and 1000's of trees that are dead due to the Bark beatle, if the fire reaches them it's all over, it's like sticking gas in the fire.