<p>I know that we have lots of CC parents/friends in southern California and I am worrying about them. I hope you are all okay.</p>
<p>I was thinking the same thing–hope all of you will report in and tell us you are safe. Same with the CC’ers who have students in So Cal area (particularly Pepperdine!)–how’s everyone doing?? You’re in our prayers!</p>
<p>Other threads</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=406499[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=406499</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=406543[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=406543</a></p>
<p>Just went outside to do some errands. I can smell the smoke and the car is covered in a fine layer of soot. I live along the coast near LA, all is ok here, no danger at least in this area (so far, since here we also have canyons and extensive brushland), but from the top of the hill I could barely see the LA skyline, and on the ocean view side I barely saw the usually clear Malibu coastline. Long thick plume of smoke going out into the ocean. South of here, same thing from the fires in Irvine. Its mid afternoon, but eerily it looks like late afternoon or early morning with the haze and smoke.
I watched a bit of news, all local channels are airing the various fires…it’s catastrophic, some areas simply no longer have the manpower to fight the constant new hotspots, let alone attempting to keep the fires from reaching residences, and the hot winds are exacerbating conditions. Evidently CA is now asking for assistance from NoCal, Nevada and Arizona.
There are around 10 major areas in trouble, in 9 counties. San Diego regions look very bad as of now as well with 250000 people evacuated, as does the Lake Arrowhead region. It’s horrendous, and so devastating for all those people with threatened homes.
Pepperdine appears to be ok, as does UCSD. Inland colleges such as Pomona, Occidental etc. are no doubt suffering from the smoky conditions.</p>
<p>I’ve been worrying about our California friends, too. I saw a report on CNN a little while ago that stated that 250,000 people have fled their homes in San Diego County. They interviewed a fire official (I didn’t catch his actual title or where he was located) who said that the wildfire situation in California has largely reached the point, in general, where it is almost impossible to contain them. The amount of dense brush in the forested lands provides the necessary fuel to send these fires out of control very quickly, and the secondary issue is that the fires are so intense that it will take centuries, if it EVER happens, for these forests to regenerate themselves because the layer of soil which is necessary is completed depleted in many areas. It’s a very sad story, both in the short term and in the long.</p>
<p>It has definitely been crazy down here. Every time I turn on the news, I hear of a new fire or an expanded fire. Santa Ana winds, high temperatures and extremely low humidity rates (6%) in some areas are causing all of these problems, not to mention the fact that we got record low rainfall this year. No colleges are currently in danger, and pepperdine seems to be out of danger. However, keep praying for everyone. At this point, they simply don’t have the resources to save many of the houses, especially in San Diego.</p>
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<p>These aren’t really forest fires, because there aren’t really forests around most of SoCal. It more like brush fires with some trees thrown in. But it’s still plenty enough to send up tons of hot cinders that fall on houses and set the houses on fire. Then the winds drive it from house to house, burning down entire neighborhoods.</p>
<p>When I went to bed last night there were two moderate fires well east of here and nothing was very ominous. I got up early this morning for a business trip and left the house without turning on the TV. I couldn’t figure out why the traffic was so heavy at such an early hour until half way to airport I drove into a smoke plume that was thicker than a heavy fog bank. I detoured into the office and found out that things had exploded into nearly a dozen fires and there are huge evacuations ordered.</p>
<p>I’m back home now preparing the house to receive friends who are evacuating. We are okay for now, but the fires are close enough that we might have to flee ourselves if the winds drive things in our direction.</p>
<p>Some officials are saying on TV that some of the big fires might burn all the way to the ocean. This is not over yet…</p>
<p>Wow. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for all of you. I am hoping that Carolyn is okay in San Diego and maybe she’ll check in with us. Northern California is probaby not quite as dry, but almost. Coureur you are so good to put people up. All the best.</p>
<p>Well <em>my</em> forest is on fire. </p>
<p>Parents live in Lake Arrowhead, and have evacuated down to San Bernardino with the dog for the interim. </p>
<p>This is kind of a normal situation – in fact, it’s almost 4 years to the day since the last big fire that evacuated us (which was October 25, 2004 – the day I took my ACTs, in my senior year, just as college apps were due; fun times).</p>
<p>I’m up in Berkeley safe, my family’s down in SB safe, but we’re worried about the house since it’s directly in between two of the fires burning up there, and it’s almost a direct channel for both to our house in between the previously burnt stuff.</p>
<p>Heard about 70 homes have already burnt, and that’s a much scarier number than the one from the Old Fire in 04 because the majority of those are actually full-time homes, not vacation cabins…</p>
<p>I’m less than 10 miles from the 3rd or 4th largest So Cal fire, and it’s HOT, HOT, HOT outside & “snowing” ash. I’ve got full-sized leaves of ash in my backyard. I’m also less than 2 miles from UCIrvine.
Here’s a graphic map of So Cal on fire…
<a href=“Los Angeles Times 10-22-07 Fires - Google My Maps”>Los Angeles Times 10-22-07 Fires - Google My Maps; (I’m near the Santiago Canyon fire)</p>
<p>Thanks for that link–really helps me visualize the relationship between the fires they talk about on the news. Good thoughts going out to all in CA.</p>
<p>For those who have kids at UCI or Chapman (Paying3Tuitions) near Irvine, they are ok and not near any of the danger spots. Pepperdine goes thru this every fall with the Malibu and canyon fires. Fortunately, the school is surrounded by huge lawns and the buildings are safe. The kids at the Claremont Colleges (Harvey Mudd, Scripps, Pitzer, etc) are not in any danger but the air has got to be horrendous there because they are at the base of the mountains and the Lake Arrowhead area is burning again :(<br>
San Diego County is in bad shape right now but I do think the campuses in and around there are far from any of the really hot spots. The air is just awful now, filled with ash and smoke. What is amazing is that the wind is NOT blowing at my house at this moment (near Long Beach) but is just howling in Irvine (15 minutes south of here) and in the canyon areas. These are some of the worse Santa Ana winds I have ever experienced and I have lived here 50 years. The air is bone dry…no humidity at all.</p>
<p>For any parent of a child at UCSD, USD or SDSU - these schools are not, as of now, in any danger or near any danger area - I live in San Diego, not too far from UCSD - the air is horrible and the fires are burning in various areas, but the kids at these schools are ok, so far. If you need any more info, don’t hesitate to PM me. (I’ll answer - as long as I’m not evacuating - yet!) :)</p>
<p>Any news about pasadena, or the LA foothills?</p>
<p>Coureur and all CCers in SoCal and the SD area:</p>
<p>Best of luck to you all! We have friends at UCSD, Harvey Mudd, CMC, Irvine…
We are keeping all in our thoughts.</p>
<p>San Diego State canceled classes today. Not sure about the other colleges. All the elementary and high schools in San Diego County that I am aware of canceled classes today and already canceled for tomorrow as well.</p>
<p>The schools in the Lake Arrowhead area are closed through Wednesday.</p>
<p>I’m morbidly amused that they’re that optimistic…</p>
<p>CSU San Bernardino canceled classes for the rest of today, but they intend to operate tomorrow, assuming the fire that started at the base of the mountain doesn’t interfere.</p>
<p>Well, the fire close to my house rages on (Santiago Canyon). It’s just now 9:30 pm, and it is 81 degrees in my backyard. It is HOT and smoky. Chokingly smoky. The ash “rain” seems to have calmed down, but I just came back from walking my dog & the wind is kicking up again. My yard is a mess. I saw many downed trees, snapped limbs (wind blown) and debris everywhere. </p>
<p>It is so dry outside too. All my windows are closed, so I have the air conditioner kicking on every few minutes to provide some circulation (fans don’t help in this situation). </p>
<p>Stay safe fellow So Cal dwellers.</p>
<p>The Pasadena area etc. is in the middle, and thus far completely clear of any fires, although they are probably rather smoky. I’ve been watching carefully, as my mom lives near there, right along the mountains. To further update schools that are fine, and nowhere near danger, for those who don’t know CA- USC, UCLA, Caltech, and Occidental. No fire anywhere near any of them at the moment. Just to reassure those parents! However, there is definitely a smoky atmosphere just about everywhere in Southern California. My allergies are going crazy!</p>
<p>UCSD may actually be in trouble for the first time… this is getting pretty intense.</p>