http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/g...9.1840.1km.jpg
Im just above the fire on the border. Another Fire sprung up in El Cajon (for those of you familiar with the area). As the crow flies, about 3 miles from me. I have fires on the south and east. Last two days i haven't really seen the sun. The sky is bright orange, and it looks really eerie. The ground is covered in ash, you can see tire marks from whenever a car drives on teh road. If you can spot the sun, it is a bright pink or dark red. Yesterday winds were at 25mph with 50-60mpg gusts. Today is has calmed down.
From teh middle of the county, roads are closed north, east, and west, and a lot of southern roads as well. All schools were closed today, and almost all businesses. County officials are telling people to stay inside at all costs, and not breathe the air. Several cities need to boil their water from contamination. The smoke is so thick i cant see the hill a mile or so from my house. Several of freinds/family/church member have been evacuated.
Its not a pretty picture in Souther California. The San Diego fire cheif say just our fires aren't ecpected to be contained or under control for another 4 or 5 days. I have no idea about teh LA fires. Also, another 2 or more fires have sprung up from the last time the naitonal media wrote their articles... on a very unsettling note, i heard a disturbing story on the news. The military has equipment ready and sitting still. They are not allowed to interevene until they get Mr Gray Davis approval, and official say so. The governor was not returning calls from the southern california officials or military. We had support, vehicles, and military personelle parked and ready to go....and he wouldn't return our calls.
[personal theory] I personally think that this is an Arson campaign. Or possible a new form of terrorism (and very effective). Looking on a sattilite photo, there is no way hot embers travelled far enough to set some of these fires. The only explanation for this many fires in these locations, appears to me, that it could only be deliberate. I also think that this has the capability to be a horribly effective form of terrorism. The whole southern CA region is in no way prepared for this, and the destruction is horrible. Just thinkin about the potential destruction this could cause from terrorism is crazy. A few key people, and organized countrywide light-off could send the country into a major disaster with incredible ease....maybe im paranoid, but there could be a huge problem if this start hapenning in other states....[/end personal paranoid observations]
Sorry if im rambling, but it really is not looking pretty down here....