SD Fire update: We’re Ok – just barely

Hey everybody, we’re fine. Covered with an inch of snow-like ash and coated in a nice smoky smell that probably won’t leave the house for 9 months, but otherwise fine. After three days of tension and a 20 foot wall of fire as close as 1,000 yards, we managed to escape any damage whatsoever.

We live in a fairly rural, brushy area in North San Diego County and get our fair share of spot fires on and off. But it turns out this time we got lucky — really lucky. We live in Bonsall on the south side of the San Luis Rey river and the past two night’s fires weren’t able to jump the river. Our friends in Bonsall and Falbrook on the north side were not so lucky.

I grabbed a good map off of the San Diego Union-Tribune’s website so you can see the extend of the damage. When you look at it, keep in mind that San Diego county is about the size of Connecticut. (The blue arrow in the top center is where we are.)
(Click map for larger view)

Even though 400,000 people were evacuated and almost 2,000 homes burned to the ground, amazingly enough, only one person died. That’s a statistic I credit to the fact that, unlike the nearly as massive Cedar fire four years ago, a) this time the county and city governments were ready, and b) when people were told to evacuate, they left rather than staying behind and trying to fight a 3,000 degree fire with their garden hose. As a result, we’re all in pretty good shape.

Thanks to everyone who sent emails and called — it means a lot. Now someone pour a Rauch Beer and toast San Diego.

Updated photo
Just thought you’d like a look at the sky from the fire.

Normally you see this kind of red sky at sunset, but this photo was taken at 2:30 in the afternoon.