I stayed up late last night watching the news of fires that were raging across many parts of Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and San Diego Counties.
Temporary shelters were being set up everywhere and smoke was thick at coastal Scripp’s Encinitas Hospital where my father, Bob Michelson, was taken, (winds are blowing east to west), as well as in Rancho Santa Fe where we had gone to Milles Fleurs to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. Scripp’s doubled sealed all doors and refused admittance of new patients.
It will be a night long remembered.
Early pre-dawn, we were awakened by a morning from our regional Reverse 911. It was a recroding alerting us that nearby Cal State San Marcos is being evacuated–as is Coronado Hills. Fires have now popped up in Fallbrook and eastern county near Julian is in blazes. South County near Otay Mesa has been an inferno. Also affected are Rancho Bernardo and Poway.
The Santa Ana winds are howling outside.
I looked out after rising this morning (and after the call) and saw our outdoor umbrella toppled, the pool full of leaves and debris everywhere.
The eastern sky is dark brown–and advancing in our direction quickly. The heavy smoke smell has not yet reached South Carlsbad.
But I am worrying about our associate, Eve Sieminski, who is currently on a cruise with her husband and whose home is in the potential path of this destroyer.
Carmel Mountain Ranch is close to evacuation. Fellow Realtor and blogger William Johnson may be forced to evacuate.
Interstate 5 is jammed, because Interstate 15 is closed. The San Diego Wild Animal Park in San Pasqual is in danger as is South Escondido.
Officials are asking people to stay home from work today unless absolutely necessary. Most schools in the county that are open are keeping kids indoor during recesses. Exercising outdoors is probably not a healthy idea.
Usually, Santa Ana winds die down at night.
Not this time.
We awoke to a situation that turned far more deadly overnight….