::Fire Storm 2003::
Right now I'm sitting at work, and things are so crazy. Just on the drive up, there was no escaping the thick smoke. I passed the Qualcomm stadium, where the outdoor emergency center was set up. The air quality was so bad that the thousands of folks there had to go to one of the indoor facilities. Along the I-15, close to where I work, I could see where the fire touched the brush and scorched the earth. Getting off my usual exit, there was a line of cars and people waiting for the chance to get back into Tierrasanta. Hoping that they were among the blessed to have their homes spared and praying that they would still have a home to go to at all. This is definitely the worst fire ever seen in my lifetime, in our county. I mean yeah, we expect it every year, but the way the winds played such a major role in how fast the fire spread really bugs me out.
I mean I went to a wedding in El Cajon just on Saturday. By the time we left at about midnight, there was no glowing sky or billowing clouds of smoke and ash. I wake up the next morning at 6 and the sky is so dark and ash had begun to rain. The smoke was literally gray. I was heading to a Christening about an hour and a half after waking up, and while I was driving the sun came through red. After the ceremony, I was on my way back home and to top off the crazyness, I passed the Coronado Bridge, close to the side where Chicano Park is and some guy was about to jump off. I later found out he was ranting about how the end of the world was coming. The usual bright skies and sunshine was no where to be found. The smoke just made it's way to blanket the county even more and more. Later that afternoon, people living in El Cajon started being evacuated. One of my friends started packing up as soon as he heard them suggest that they evacuate. He made 2 trips before it became mandatory.
I'm pretty emotional right now. I'm trying hard to maintain my composure at work, and I'm sure most of my co-workers are as well. There are many people who work here, and they've been evacuated. They made it in for whatever reason and with whatever strength they could muster. I have so much respect for those who were able to come in today. I can't help but wonder if many of my family's friends are doing ok. Most of them do live in the North County. We have heard from some of them, and they plan to visit and hang out. Right now my family is just opening their doors to whomever may need it. I really don't know what else I can say. I just pray that everyone makes it ok, and that they have the strength to deal with whatever their situation may ultimately be.
Random Blurb: All I can do right now is pray that everyone stays safe. Everything is pretty surreal, so I don't even know how to react.
posted by Rochelle @ 2:52:00 PM
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