Tuesday, October 23, 2007

San Diego Fires Update #8

The Witch Fire has turned it's attention to the south. It is currently burning along the northern arm of El Capitan Reservoir. That puts fire about eight miles north of Interstate 8 and about five miles northwest of the northern reaches of residential Alpine. As of 4pm, there have been no evacuations ordered for any portion of Alpine except yesterday's precautionary evacuation of those portions of West Alpine adjacent to Harbison Canyon. Evacuations have been ordered for northern Lakeside (along Wildcat Canyon Road). To the northeast, Julian, Pine Hills (west of Julian) and Pine Grove (southwest of Julian) are being evacuated.

In the south, Indian Springs, North Jamul, and parts of Rancho San Diego are evacuating in advance of the Harris Fire. Also, on the eastern front of the Harris Fire, Honey Springs and Barrett Lake are evacuating.

The moves of evacuations to the eastern fronts of the fires is a sign that the winds are shifting. It is worrisome to me because it brings the fires closer to me and my loved ones. It is also good news because the blowtorch force of the Santa Ana winds are beginning to break. El Cajon is safe. I don't know about Alpine; they are not ordering evacuations as yet, which is good, but the fire is getting uncomfortably close.

The authorities have been very good thus far in ordering evacuations well ahead of trouble, allowing for safe exits. Many of the communities that have been evacuated have not been burned.

An excellent resource is this Google map produced by KPBS. It is updated frequently by the staff of the local public broadcasting station and is a better resource than even the San Diego County Emergency Services pdf maps.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I want to thank you for posting your blog on this.
I have been checking it all day for updates.
My dad (in his 80's with a serious heart cond.) lives on 1215 Moreno Ave in Lakeside and he is not at this time findable.
I am residing in Montana and am so terribly cut off from contact and valid information. As I am from Lakeside and all my childhood lives there I am wrought with horror for all the residents and long time friends and my grandchildren that are still there.
Plese if you can, let me know about his area.
Grateful for your work.
Jann

PoliShifter said...

Thanks for the link to the google maps...that's a great resource.

Hope you're ok knighterrant.

I'm fine...far enough away but my dad might need to evacuate.

Anonymous said...

Good morning to you,
My family home is at 11215 Moreno Ave (missed a address number yesterday) and is in the SR67 corridor that was evacuated yesterday according to reports. Moreno Ave runs between Vigilante Road and Willow and both ends are closed which gives me the assumption that Moreno valley is in lock down-or lock out. Moreno Ave runs parallel to 67. I am just up from a nights restless sleep to see what can be found out as to the status of my home area.
My dad has yet to be located but today will be another put forth to locate him.
I am in Montana and am 65 years old so traveling home to help him is not possible. Long distance is hard, very hard. Again, thank you for your blog reports, I greatly appreciate it.
Jann