My experience with the San Bernardino Wildfire Today (pics)

Self ^ | 10/25/2003 | Self

[EUPHORIC]

What a week. Been breathing smoke since Tuesday with the Rancho Cucamonga Fire then today it gets worse! While watching FNC on my sat I noticed that it was getting darker and oranger outside. Looked out and to the east and it was obvious that now the mountains to the east were on fire! Grabbed my camera and jumped in the car and got in deeper then I wanted to!

Drove about 7 miles to where the smoke was coming from and found dozens packing their stuff into everything from cars to shopping carts and moving out FAST. Fire was moving south towards the houses you've heard of being destroyed today and I've got what are probably the last pics taken of those neighborhoods before they were overrun. The people in the pics are mostly now homeless. And WE almost got stuck behind the firelines!

We were about 1000 feet from the flames in the above pic and the homes beyond the treeline are now all gone as are some of the more distant ones in the pic.

In the following pic please note the people standing in the brush close to the fire with NO SAFE WAY OUT! We were listening to the helitanker pilots talking and from their viewpoint and in their own words those people were about to be "carbonized".

Just a few minutes after the above images were taken the Sheriff chased us out and ordered evacuations warning everyone that there were no firefighting resources in the area to help! I have no idea what happened to those nut cases standing there in the brush to get a better view of the action but I sure hope that pic is not the last taken of them.

Full sized versions of these and a whole bunch more are available for viewing on my server. I don't have time right now to organize them into a web page so the images are just in a directory where you will have to click on the image names to see them. The DSC000XXX.JPG files are the raw images from my camera and the ones with meaningful names are the better ones which have been processed and enhanced. The messed up night time pics are of a tounge of the Rancho Cucamonga fire that has intruded to within 2 miles of my home tonight. They did not come out very well at all. :(

[EUPHORIC]

I'm not hard on anyone. I just took exception that 1) California burns every year. Watch the news. 2) This person made a big deal out of "all of a sudden" finding out that they were located close to a munitions dump of some sort.

HUH? How did I make a "big deal" out of anything? I just posted my experience and your drugs did the rest. And your doped up rant began BEFORE I mentioned the local Fireworks Factory. (not a "munitions dump") - typical left wing exaggeration for effect. Dodging of the facts and everything.

You can plot where the fire prone areas are, from history. They have done that, they do that. Just like flood prone areas.

Why would anyone move into an area like that?

Because "areas like that" are mostly free from liberal donkeys like you and VERY pleasant to live in.

Must have that "gambling" instinct.

More PROJECTION from you. Tsk! Tsk!

The bitch when it bites 'em.

So I guess you are a "rappa" or a wannabe "rappa"?

Nothing more need be said.

[abner]

I love Las Vegas! It will suck when they run out of water though... It will happen.

[LasVegasMac]

You seem to be fixated on a couple of things here...

Kinda fun to watch another liberal doing the duck and tumble and avoid. :)

and ...

Don't forget to wipe that chinny chin chin sweetie!

California traits, no doubt.

For the record you are the tenth idiot I know that ran to Vegas to hide from the quakes.

I told ya before to get a ticket for the clue bus - how did you come up with that one? If you count getting stationed here with the Air Force as "running", then I guess I ran here.

Yep, this is an active area. We almost always feel the big ones coming out of your area!

Anyway, back to the fires.

Good luck.

LVM

[Joe Hadenuf]

I told ya before to get a ticket for the clue bus

What's this, 60s lingo? The clue bus?

BWAAAAHAHAHA.....

[CyberAnt]

I'm in San Diego - we have a fire east of us and this morning we are covered in ash. It's so bad, we cannot go outside. You can, but the stuff gets all over you so they are telling people to stay inside. I'm up above Mission Valley, near Qualcom Stadium. We have a think dark cloud hanging over the valley. To the Northeast of us the sky is almost black (not a good sign).

We always get some smoke from fires in the LA area, because of the winds. However, when you add SD County fires, it's not a good combination.

The fires are at the edge of El Cajon - where my nephew and his wife and new baby live - haven't heard from them yet. They may be at church. [UPDATE] Nephew's wife just called. They are at home and safe. They have been told to be ready to leave so they are packing their car - just in case.

The other part of the fire is near Miramar Marine Corp Base and another Nephew lives a stone's throw from there. They are probably at church, but they have closed Hwy 15 N so they may not be able to get home.

Also .. the area just northeast of the base is an industrial area - high tech stuff. That will be devastating to this area. Nokia has a BIG, BIG building complex near there.

[LasVegasMac]

Self proclaimed lingo expert?

Nice to know that your are the expert.

Wake up now.

Lift rock.

Crawl back into your space.

LVM

[Joe Hadenuf]

Yo, get a ticket for the clue bus......

Yo man, LOL!