Wildfires in Southern California

[I know this post doesn't really have anything to do with running, besides the fact that the wilderness where trails exist is burning, but I needed a place to put down what I knew, and this is as good a place as any]

A resident of Irvine looking at the Santiago Canyon fire from atop the Quail Hill community.

Talking to my mom last week, she mentioned with slight bemusement the prediction of a heat wave to hit southern california over the weekend, predicted to reach 100 degrees by monday. That prediction of heat and high, hot, santa ana winds held true, but with tragic consequences. As I'm sure many are aware, it seems as though all of Southern California is ablaze right now, with fires spreading from LA to Orange to San Diego. Countless homes have already been burned down, with thousands forced to evacuate as the fires continue to rage. As of this morning, I was only aware of the fires in Malibu from a newspaper I glanced at at a coffee shop. I heard people talk about the San Diego fires as well. When I arrived at class this evening, my classmates from SoCal were talking about how close some of the fires were to their own homes and mentioned that in addition to the LA fires, there are also ones in the other counties as well, including my home county. I assumed that my parents would call if it was a threat, so I wasn't too concerned about their safety, but still a bit worried.

Map of the fires going on in Southern California right now

I've now found out more about the OC fire, which is still a decent distance from my home, but is close to people's homes that I know. What is particularly tragic about this fire is that it seems to have been set deliberately. It's currently a 15,000 acre fire burning near Santiago Canyon. I'm not sure whether houses have begun to catch yet, but it seems like, with all the devleopments down there, it's fairly likely. Seeing pictures of familiar places near home with thick, threatening clouds of black smoke is scary.

A view of the Santiago Fire from Alton and Portola.

Right now I'm feeling very far away from home up here in Santa Cruz. Some of my friends are talking about going down to San Diego county where they're from to be with their families. I know mine is safe and okay, but it's still a bit of a scary thing. I remember the positive associations I have always had of the warm Santa Anas, and the heat waves in late October and Early November. Suddenly these things that had seemed so routine have become extreme and, consequently, threatening.

The winds are supposed to die down soon, and with that, hopefully the fires can become contained in the next few days. There have been fires before, and Southern California has been rebuilt. Lets just hope that the containment happens soon.

All images and captions are taken from the LA Times article and pictures posted here