San Diego Fire

October 22, 2007

   We have just half a staff on this horrible day. So many of our staff members have had to leave in order to evacuate their homes in San Diego County. There is a palpable sense of anxiety among those of us who remain at the office. Eight wildfires continue to rage. As early as 6:30 this morning these events were dubbed “worse” than the Cedar Fire of 2003. That disaster still remains so fresh in our minds. There is some good news. Apparently, the reverse 9-1-1 system has been working well today. We can’t do anything about Santa Ana winds. But there are so many troubling human aspects to these regular fire catastrophes.

• Why aren’t brush abatement laws enforced?
• When people are told to evacuate, why on earth don’t they leave? The efforts of firefighters were hampered this morning because, instead of fighting fire, they were forced to rescue people who had been ordered to evacuate and did not.
• Why do people still have wood shake shingle roofs in a county that is for all purposes a desert? We heard reports this morning of fires igniting such roofs in North County while the homes of neighbors with less-flammable roofing material were spared.

   Our thoughts are with all of you who have been affected in this disaster. Please take a minute to share your stories with us. And please read about fireproofing your home at http://www.firesafecouncil.org/homeowner/index.cfm