yarbroughs dot org

We are fine. Thought I’d get that out there.

Yeah, the fires are burning. Here’s a set of maps of what’s going on. The evac area (the red part of the second map) is about 15 miles north of us right now. The fires, the best we can understand, appear to be moving to the northeast… so even the fires in Potrero and Tecate are not going to be a threat here. Of course, that could always change. We are going to be prepared, but I’m not anticipating an evacuation.

The other clue we have that all will be well is the fact that Qualcomm Stadium is set up as an evacuation shelter, and we’re about 2 miles north of the stadium. If this area were in danger, they’d move the evac a bit further south and/or east.

All over the city you can smell the fires. It’s reminiscent of back home, when someone would set a controlled brush fire in a field, except it’s everywhere. There’s a haze over parts of the city (including my part) and the sky looks like Los Angeles or Naples on the worst possible smog day.

Here’s how you want to keep up, if interested. This is not just San Diego that’s burning — there are parts of Orange County and Los Angeles on fire as well. If there’s any change to my family’s status, in particular, I’ll update y’all here.

[12:40 PM] Total stats right now: 100,000 acres burned, 250,000 people evacuated. This is San Diego County alone. Also, CBS-8 reporter Larry Himmel has been reporting live from outside his own burning home. I couldn’t imagine doing that.

[9:43 PM] I knew that the Larry Himmel clips would make youtube eventually… here you go. I don’t have new stats officially, but the area’s growing. It’s crept a LITTLE bit southward, but I’m still thinking we’re safe here. To be safe we have bags packed and stuff ready to load, we can be gone in a few minutes’ notice.

[10/23 8:20AM] Somewhere between 3-500,000 people have been evacuated now. The fire to the north has spread westward, putting Del Mar in jeopardy. That’s ugly, as Del Mar is (was) one of the evac centers. Nothing has changed in my neck of the woods, yet. The Potrero/Tecate fire from yesterday has spread westward and a little northward to threaten Lakeside, Eastlake, and parts of Chula Vista where I have friends and co-workers living. That one started near the Otay border crossing, making me believe it’s someone that did something Americans wouldn’t do. Idiot. But that’s pure conjecture, and it won’t solve anything.

As for us, we’re not leaving yet. I am concerned enough that we have bags packed and sitting by the front door. All the schools are closed today, and I had already taken yesterday and today off as vacation time, so I’m gonna sit here and watch the news all day. Again. I’ve learned that Matt Lauer’s face on my TV screen can send me into blind rage for no reason, and that our local Fox affiliate pretty much sucks. They can bite me.