Fires in Southern California

As many of you know I reside in Southern California, and if you've been watching the news you have probably seen the disastrous fires which are sweeping through our areas.

I'm happy to report that this fire season has spared our particular area along the Northern San Gabriel Valley foothill area. Others have not been so lucky. Smoke from the fires are visible to my north in the Arrowhead areas, East where fires ran through the hay and feed in Ontario and Fontana, South in Orange County, and West where the more publicized wildfires burned Canyon Country, Saugus, and Malibu. Last report had 18 different fires here.

However the biggest fires have been 50-60 miles southeast of us in San Diego county. Fires like those in Malibu and western Los Angeles county gained most of the press while San Diego county lost over 1500 homes without much mention until late yesterday. Despite our local media's belief that viewers would be more interested in seeing whether million-dollar mansions had burned in Malibu, communities have come together in a disaster relief effort that is incredible.

Over half a million people have evacuated their homes in the San Diego county areas, many of whom sought refuge at Qualcomm stadium. Reminiscent of the disaster in New Orleans where so many fled to the Superdome, Qualcomm stadium had become home to over 10,000 by Tuesday (probably more by now) who fled their homes. But thats where any of the similarities ended. Unlike the secondary disaster of Katrina where evacuees became third-world style refugees, those who came to Qualcomm have been met with compassion and care. Same has been true for evacuation centers set up at the Del Mar fairgrounds and dozens of other locations.

Southern California residents and businesses have come out in massive support with food, clothing, services, and to provide moral support unlike any I've seen. Its been incredible to see bands performing, gourmet restaurants setting up with free meals, and other services not normally associated with disaster relief. One reporter called it a festive atmosphere which I believe misses the point completely. Here you have thousands of people sleeping on cots in this stadium turned refugee camp. However instead of providing a grim environment, people have come together to help those who need their spirits lifted rather than the constant reminder that many won't have homes to return to. Once the roads headed south of us are reopened myself and others will be headed back down to pitch in.

What makes me mad is so much of this disaster could have been lessened had our state learned the lessons of our massive fires in 2003. Little has improved in regards to obtaining additional equipment such as water dropping aircraft. The balance of recourses is out of wack when you have 2 leased Canadian Superscoopers working a 1200 acre fire in Malibu, yet none to support a couple hundred square mile area in San Diego county. There are water dropping helicopter and fixed wing craft working the southern fires, but compared to the efforts in L.A. county its like spitting and expecting to make a difference. Six more aircraft were reported to be on the way from other states today (Wednesday), but why weren't these resources secured Monday?

Hopefully today things will begin to improve with the winds calming down. Many of these fires will continue to burn through remote areas for at least another week but people should be able to start returning to some of the affected areas by the end of this week.