Fires in Southern California; hundreds of homes burned, thousands evacuated (Thousand Oaks: power lines, school)

[Dennis P]

Thankfully, I don't live in any of the areas affected by the recent fires. But my supervisor lives in Foothill Ranch, which is very close to where the Santiago Canyon fire burned (this is the fire reportedly caused by an arsonist). After getting some phone calls from her family members, my boss decided to go home early (about 1:30) on Tuesday, 10/23, to make sure things at home were fine.

The next day, my co-workers and I asked her how everything at home was. She said that it was very smoky and ashes were raining down all over her neighborhood. Everyone up and down her street had their cars parked out in the street just in case their neighborhood had a mandatory evacuation (this never happened). My boss also said that the fire burning was visible in the hills above their area (talk about scary ).

Fortunately, no homes in her neighborhood caught fire.

Even though I live far from the burn areas, I had to sweep a lot of dust and ash from my back patio and front of the house (driveway, sidewalk, front porch). It has smelled like smoke all week.

Thanks to everyone who posted their well wishes and who offered prayers. The ones who really deserve a big THANK YOU are all the firefighters and other emergency personnel, both locally and from elsewhere.

[sleek]

Dozens Of Homes, 2200 Acres Burn In Fast-Moving Malibu Fire
Blaze Burns More Than 400 Acres Saturday Morning

UPDATED: 12:05 pm PST November 24, 2007

LOS ANGELES -- A wind-driven brushfire that started near the top of Corral Canyon overnight destroyed about 35 multimillion-dollar homes in the Malibu Bowl area Saturday morning as the fire moved south and west.

Dozens Of Homes, 2200 Acres Burn In Fast-Moving Malibu Fire - News Story - KNBC | Los Angeles

[biko0909]

Originally Posted by cynwldkat

The one I'm talking about is actually made in Canada. Not sure about all of these!! I believe, but could be wrong, that Canada has three of these Super-Scoopers but will not lease them during their fire season. I had not heard that CA had actually purchased one. But after all the losses a couple of years ago you'd think they would have.

Just quick FYI. The Super Scoopers are Bombardier Cl-415s (older versions are Cl-215T and 215P) They are built in Canada and there about Fifty (50) or so across Canada. Not to mention Greece, France, Italy. The ones you lease are from Quebec. You are right on one point, the provinces will not release any till about mid-October after the fire season.

[Charles]

You can see satellite imagery of the latest fire here (animated loop):

National Weather Service - Animater

[fastfilm]

The fire has burned 3,500 acres as of 10/13/08 a.m. The fire started suspiciously at 2 a.m. up Little Tujunga Rd., an area of horse ranches. I have seen bums starting fires all the time in this wild canyon area (and reported them to the fire dept. ASAP of course.) Bums will probably not be publicly blamed since there is such a gigantic homeless lobby in L.A. (They hijack, in every sense of the word, every signficant city meeting. Sorry people there are other problems in our city.) Since L.A. has little in the way of lightning strikes because it has little in the way of rain, fires here usually are man-made. It did not start at the gun range: they want to preserve their rural sport in the city as much as the horse people. I helped evacuate horses yesterday.

The Santa Ana winds of late fall start fires every single year now. Relocators should know this when they espy those toney canyon and mountain homes. This year it's blowing across the entire northern end of the San Fernando Valley, propelling this enormous fire. They can't use the same airborne water dropping aircraft that they did yesterday because the Santa Ana winds accelerated beyond 60 mph.

[happ]

This fire reminds me of a wildfire east of Pasadena over 10 years ago. Some homeless were cooking breakfast when the wind blew their fire out of control. There have been usually cool mornings, maybe a pit fire started it.

Tujunga is 10 miles NW of me but I can't even see the smoke. Hope the winds lower enough to get control of the blaze

[brikag]

Porter Ranch is ablaze right now! We're here in Chatsworth and it's dark and smokey. Reminds me of the fires of '05, the Topanga Canyon fires. We had to evacuate b/c the closeness of our home in those canyons.

[VillageLife]

Pretty windy here in the SGV area.Some of the smoke has travelled this way. I am sorry to hear about the fire.I hope all the critters are safe!

[Fleet]

Here are some photos I took at about 11:30 AM...






I also took some videos which I will post soon.

[Fleet]

Here is the video:

YouTube - Porter Ranch Fire