The California Fires

by CKR

My heart goes out to all those hundreds of thousands of people who have to leave their homes or who are terrified by the smoke and ash as multiple fires surround Los Angeles and San Diego.

Having had to evacuate twice during the Cerro Grande Fire in 2000, I know the terrible emotions of having to leave one’s home to possible destruction. Additionally, the speaker at one of my organizations yesterday was from that area and had to take phone calls from his family as they evacuated.

It looks like they won’t have respite any time soon. Santa Ana winds are caused by a high-pressure system inland and a low offshore. That high is giving us some bright clear weather now in New Mexico, and the morning weather guy said that it’s not going to change until the weekend. Here are some satellite images. Not looking good.

The Los Angeles Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune are providing good web coverage, including local information about school and road closures and how to get and give help. That kind of information was essential to us during Cerro Grande. The Union-Tribune website is getting harder to access, though.

And even as California burns, New Orleans is flooded.