Live from San Bernardino

Posted on October 26, 2003 in Old Fire

My mother’s house is still standing. The dreadful but cheerful news is that a good portion of the land between her neighborhood and the fire is incinerated. The fire is burning in a back canyon, moving up the mountain towards Crestline and Lake Arrowhead. This means that it is highly unlikely that it will double back. If it does, the flames will come to previously scorched ground and die out.

One of her neighbors works as a fireman in Crestline. He was released to go home after more than 24 hours of working the line. When he awakens, he must go back.

We went up to the limit of the evacuation zone. They’re not letting people past Lynwood Avenue because they want to check all the gas mains and water lines. Some people have been told to boil their water. Couldn’t see much except smoke, policemen wearing powder blue face masks, heavy traffic, and a light cinder fall. The plume is overhead. I will put up photos and more commentary when I return home to Trabuco Canyon tonight.

Word is that none of the mountain communities has power. The cable and jacuzzi deal at the Hilton isn’t so great after all.

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There’s an excellent web site with a 3-D map of the fire (showing the general area — yeah, it’s steep country), photos, a CHP dispatch log that purports that matches were being thrown out of a grey van, and information about closures, etc. Click here to view the information on what is being called the “Old Fire”.

You can leave thank yous to the fire fighters for their work here. These guys sit on their butts for 360 days a year, but they earn the right in the five days that they work full time. If you see a fireman ordering donuts at a coffee shop, offer to buy them for him or her.