Watching the tv news, friend of mine, west and south of me in Rancho Santa Fe are hitting their homes with sprinklers. Doesn't look good for most of SD county :(

Posted by Tony | reply to this comment
October 22, 2007 7:13 am

God please save these homes, these people, and all those animals. I pray for all those who are in harms way. God bless those firefighters for putting their lives on the line.

Posted by Eyes from the Sky | reply to this comment
October 22, 2007 8:01 am

Two questions come to mind: How much of the Ramona fire is burning underneath the route of the proposed SDG&E Sunrise Powerlink? How much water is being used to fight the fires? That water is drawing down a diminishing amount of water we're able to import from far away. If the region is forced to take a 30% cut in our water supplies, and we're hit with more big fires next Fall, what is the plan?

Posted by watcher | reply to this comment
October 22, 2007 8:55 am

I heard on last night's news that this fire was caused by downed power lines. I realize that there are many causes for such fires but this particular cause can be eliminated by putting ALL power lines underground. The energy companies don't want to do that because it is expensive. Let them pay all the expenses for fighting this fire including any and all expenses for evacuation. Let them pay to replace the homes that may be lost. Then they may decide that it is not so expensive to put the power lines underground.

Posted by Ed | reply to this comment
October 22, 2007 9:49 am

Heard that the Malibu fire was caused by downed power lines, but don't recall hearing anything about the cause of the fires here. If that is the case, undergrounding does make sense. Tragic times. Best wishes to all involved, including Larry Himmel, who lost his home...

Posted by TY | reply to this comment
October 22, 2007 10:02 am

Kolendar says this will be worse than the Cedar fire... Perhaps he will be right, but I think it's too early to say such a thing, and I don't think it's at all helpful.

Posted by Brad | reply to this comment
October 22, 2007 10:30 am

Here we all are profoundly grateful, as we should be, for the bravery and skill of these firefighters from all over the state trying to save us. But what have we done as a community to make sure we have enough fire protection? Last year San Diego failed to get fire accreditation because we don't have enough firefighters or fire stations. And what have done in terms of making sure development in fire hazard areas (all of soouther california?)minimize risk to structures and hence to firefighters? The new development on the hills above Santee doesn't strike me as the brightest approach to fire prevention.

Posted by Kevin | reply to this comment
October 22, 2007 11:27 am

So far, I give Himmel the prize of the day for reporting under duress. He even kept a semblance of his usual humor by saying, "On any given day, I'd say, 'Welcome to my home'" -- while the remnants of his home of 25 years burned in the background.

Posted by TY | reply to this comment
October 22, 2007 11:53 am

I heard the fire around I-78 involved downed lines. Last night I was driving back from Ontario on I-15. Crazy crazy desert winds blowing; smashed the side of a big rig truck; it does not surprise me a line would go down. Could see Ramona flames, not just glow. Qualcomm's taking donations of stuff, also Chicano Park, according to KPBS radio, suggested comfort things for kids.

Posted by drmoll | reply to this comment
October 22, 2007 2:20 pm

Hey Kevin, this probably not the best time to start with the """SDFD does not have enough money""" comments.........

Posted by Billy Bob Henry | reply to this comment
October 22, 2007 4:43 pm

I recently saw one of those exterminator tents on a house nearby. Why don't they make those out of aluminum coated tarp and use them for fires? You could probably get a big insurance cut to cover the cost.

Posted by KirkH | reply to this comment
October 22, 2007 9:22 pm

I gathered about 60 links today from lots of local blogs and news outlets, including the Voice. If the ed. thinks this would be useful please pass it on... link

Posted by KirkH | reply to this comment
October 22, 2007 9:22 pm

As smoke and ash from fires drifted around my house yesterday afternoon, the intrepid U.S. Postal Service pushed my mail through the door slot. Among the items was an ill-timed large envelope from the "Community Alliance for the Sunrise Powerlink," -- an unholy alliance of the Chamber of Commerce, Big Labor and other downtown interests, touting the fact that "San Diego County's population has grown nearly 60% over the past 25 years," and pressing me to gather signatures on behalf of a proposed invasive, risky, above-ground Sunrise Powerlink through the back country of San Diego County. Have we learned nothing in the last years since the Cedar fire and now, in this conflagration? Runaway development into the back country and (more) above-ground power lines are the essential pre-conditions for more devastating fires that take lives and property. Say No to Sunrise Powerlink.

Posted by No to Sunrise Powerlink | reply to this comment
October 23, 2007 9:46 am

A couple of points/ questions about the fires and government's response to them: 1)Why did it take 4 days into the fire before military aircraft were authorized to fly and drop water or retardant? This issue was supposedly settled 4 years ago. But according to a news conference on the fire recently held by government, County Board of Supervisor, Congressional reps Issa, Bilbray and Hunter stated that the Congressmen had to talk directly with the Cal-Fire head and have him connected to the top military guy on the issue and hold "a firm but fair" conversation to force Cal Fire to give the go-ahead for the federal aircraft. 2) speaking of press conferences, most of them that have been held since the beginning of the fires have been fairly useless. Outside of introducing politicians and bureacrats, and thanking everyone profusely, they provided no new news.

Posted by OB Rag Frank | reply to this comment
October 24, 2007 12:18 pm

Seems to me our illustious Sheriff stuck his foot in his mouth this morning claiming that our evacuation of 500,000 was greater than Katrina. First, it seems he was wrong. According to link "90-92% of the 1.3 million residents of the New Orleans metropolitan region evacuated." More importantly, however, why do these elected officials feel the need to exagerate what we have here and to compare it to Katrina, a totally different event of 10 times the magnitude of this event, is offensive. These elected officials are just driving me nuts.

Posted by PowayTom | reply to this comment
October 24, 2007 1:59 pm

I agree with you Tom, they are bugging me too. They seem to have been focused on putting themselves in front of the news cameras, which is what they do best (unless they are being investigated). Kolendar needs to retire. Bush can turn right around and head back if you ask me. He came out and shook my brother-in-laws hand as he looked over the embers of their house in Harbison Canyon after the Cedar Fire, all of course for the benefit of the cameras. The hell they went through with insurance afterwards was in stark contrast to all the promises of the politicians to make things easier.

Posted by B | reply to this comment
October 25, 2007 7:08 am

As a City FF my colleagues and I have been receiving kudos from just about everyone and we greatly appreciate it. I would like to recognize some of the unsung heros who protected my home and family when I was gone for the week. Thank you Sheriff Deputies, CHP officers and law enforcement from throughout the state who controlled and protected neighborhoods throughout our region. It was a comfort to know that my home and family were safe when I couldn’t be there.

Posted by BenEfit | reply to this comment
October 28, 2007 9:19 am

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