San Diego Is On Fire

Last updated on: October 22, 2007 at 7:52 am by John Shore

San Diego Is On Fire 2007-10-22T07:52:03-08:00 John Shore

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

All figures updated as of 5 p.m. PST on Tuesday, Oct. 23

A follow-up blog–written today, Thursday, Oct. 25–is here.

As you probably know, much of Southern California is burning. San Diego (where I live) sure is. The fire has so far consumed some 250,000 acres in the mountains and rural areas immediately east of the city proper. It’s pretty effectively shut down the whole city. Highways and main roads throughout the county are closed. 1,250 homes have been destroyed or damaged. 500,000 people have been ordered to leave their homes. Qualcomm Stadium (where the San Diego Chargers play) is now/still an evacuation center — one of many throughout the county. (About 10,000 people are now living outside at Qualcomm stadium. Amazing.) No one’s supposed to go outdoors–or even use their cell phones, if they can help it. Just about every government employee who can move has been called in to help fight the fire.

And it’s [still] going to get worse before it gets better, because what’s [still] fueling the fires (what started Sunday as 10 or more fires have now become two, named the Witch Creek Fire and the Harris Fire) are the mighty Santa Ana winds, which are [still] these huge, hot, ferocious winds that sometimes sweep through Southern California and wreak all kinds of havoc with the temperature and people’s allergies and so on. They’re nasty. And they’re going to keep blowing for a couple of days. And that’s … well, how you keep a fire going.

I live on the coast, about half a mile from the beach. Our air here is usually as clean as it is anywhere in San Diego. But now the sun is completely blocked by the smoke: it’s just a dark pink ball you can stare right at. Everything is covered by a layer of grey soot: it’s basically snowing fine ash. The air is so thick with ash it muffles sound, so outside the air has that heavy quietness that comes with snowfall.

Everything’s pale with ash. The light is this eeerie grey-red. Nobody’s outside. If we go outside, we’re supposed to wear breathing masks. [Which the drugstore was out of. So I was forced to buy some Haagan-Das ice cream bars instead.]

My wife Cat and I woke up this morning to learn that we now live within an Advisory Evacuation area, meaning we dang sure better get ready to evacuate our place. But to where? The end of the land is a bicycle drive away.

So we’ve now got tote bags jammed with Evacuation Vitals waiting by our door. Change of clothes. Water. Flashlights. Box of Vanilla Wafers. We’re set. [Update: Evacuation line getting closer. Not good, because I’ve already munched pretty heavily on some of our evacuation supply food, which we had to buy at a drug store so it’s all canned peanuts, and dried fruit, and Wheat Thins, and how am I supposed to stay cooped up inside this place for two days without at least nibbling on our Emergency Vanilla Wafers?]

When the end of the world comes, it’s hard to imagine that it won’t look, feel, and smell just like this.

Previous Post

October 16, 2007

John, Delayed

Next Post

October 25, 2007 San Diego: Paradise, Up In Smoke

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Christian Issues Christian Spirituality Dear John En Espanol Everywhere She's Not Humor Look See Pastor Bob's Corner Personal Portuguese Relationships Russian Short-short story Smith Family Chronicles Uncategorized

Select a Month March 2024 August 2022 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 February 2020 December 2019 June 2019 December 2018 May 2018 May 2017 January 2017 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: In Mark, Jesus healed a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, which angered the Pharisees.

Select your answer to see how you score.

TRUE FALSE

Books by This Author Books by John Shore

See All Titles »