Amazon discontinued the ability to create images using their SiteStripe feature and in their infinite wisdom broke all previously created images on 12/31/23. Many blogs used this feature, including this one. Expect my archives to be a hot mess of broken book cover images until I can slowly comb through 20 years of archives to make corrections.

Monday, October 22, 2007

Rain Of Fire

L.A. times reader submitted photo of Santiago Canyon fire near Irvine.
Welcome to California ladies and gentlemen.

The boyfriend and I woke up very early Sunday morning to the sound of wind. A whole lotta wind. The only way I can describe the phenomena of Santa Ana winds is that it's like living in a wind tunnel. Reports yesterday ranged anywhere from 60mph to 85mph. That's unpleasant folks. It sounded like the roof of my apartment was going to get ripped off all day yesterday.

That's certainly annoying, but only the start of what always seems to follow. Hot, dry wind, coupled with the desert conditions of Southern California mean one thing - fire. Malibu and San Diego have made the national news (lordy, it's horrible there!), while the O.C. (Orange County, where I live) is dealing with the above Santiago Canyon fire. To add insult to injury, the O.C. fire was reportedly set by an arsonist.

Where ever you are asshole, I hope they shrivel up and fall off.

Basically speaking it's been business as usual for me. Fires all around, but not terribly close to where I live (a bit closer to where I work). We have had to close two of our libraries though due to proximity of the blaze and road closures.

The Boyfriend reports that our apartment smells like a giant campfire.

We have lots of romance bloggers and authors that hail from the So. Cal. area. Last I heard there were a dozen fires burning from Ventura County all the way south to San Diego. Please feel free to leave a comment on this post to let us know how you're doing, what it's like in your area etc. Or please post something on your own blog. Information is power!

10/23 Update: KNX 1070 (news radio) has a lot of information up on their web page and you can even listen live.

10 comments:

Kristie (J) said...

I watched the fires in Southern California on the news tonight and my first thought was all my blogging friends around there and how close the fires are to them. I hope they all report in that they are doing good and aren't affected by them. I'm glad you and they Boyfriend are OK

Rosie said...

We have fire nearby in the Big Bear & Lake Arrowhead areas. Fortunately for us we haven't been as plagued by wind today as was expected but that sucker is moving across the top ridge of San Bernardino mountains I can see out my back window like nobody's business.

My brother told me there's no immediate worry of it coming over the ridge and being a threat to our outlying communities thank goodness. Now I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for the people I know who are out there fighting it.

Lori and I think Nikki are both in Ventura County. It would be good if they would check in. I think I'll send an email.

Holly said...

I'm fine here in the desert. It's not nearly as windy as it was before, and the chance of the fire reaching us here is pretty much slim to none, but I'm glad you and Rosie are alright. Hopefully we'll hear back from everyone else, too.

wendy said...

Rosie -- my mom is right on the water in Ventura and she reports dense smoke, red skies, and ash falling all about, but says there is no fire near her. She was vague about what "near" means, so I'm hoping that means she can't see any fire, at least.

Here in the desert we have no fire, clear skies, and not even a hint of smoke.

Glad for all who are doing well.

wendy said...

oops, that's The Other Wendy. Not our dear Super Librarian Wendy

Marg said...

I'm glad to hear that some of our So Cal blogger friends are doing okay. My thoughts are with you all.

Wendy said...

Well San Bernardino is back to being on fire, so we're once again surrounded. Air quality is piss poor and The Boyfriend (in what I'm sure will be an exercise in futility) is on the hunt for an air purifier today. Some mandatory evacuations for the O.C. fire - our two canyon libraries are still closed. More evacuations down in San Diego, and we're now an official federal emergency.

Anyone heard from our Santa Clarita folks?

Lori said...

Hi all,

So far so good here. Our schools were cancelled today, as they fear the fires are next headed straight for us. But so far we are all doing fine.

Nikki is smack in the middle of it. I did talk to her yesterday, and she was doing fine, although her mom had to evacuate, but is now home. It's her fire that is headed my way. I'll keep you posted if anything changes. Thanks for thinking of us :) Glad to hear that everyone else is doing well, too.

Daphne said...

Hi everyone. Just checkin in. I'm doing okay here at work, and I doubt the fire is going to reach my area where I live. It's blazing hot today and the air is just awful. I was walking to my car and ended up coughing b/c of all the bits of crap floating in the air. But I'm not really complaining. I'm alive and healthy. I hope everyone out there in blogland is doing okay, my prayers and thoughts are with you.

Wendy said...

News update 10/23 8:30PM Pacific Time - Nikki was the last of our bunch who hadn't checked in. Well, she just e-mailed us! So for the time being, we're all safe and accounted for.