The latest about the California wildfires

[JTD]

SAN DIEGO, California (CNN) -- A quarter-million people fled their homes amid wildfires that had burned 100,000 acres around San Diego County, officials said Monday.

Five homes burned to the ground Monday morning on a Rancho Bernardo, California, cul-de-sac.

1 of 3 more photos » "The situation continues to deteriorate," fire chief Bill Metcalf said at 10 a.m. Pacific time, with numerous structures lost across the county.

"I think there's a very good possibility it will reach the coast before it's finished," Metcalf said of one of the fiercest blazes.

Metcalf said the fires were consuming homes in the communities of Escondido, Rancho Bernardo, Poway, Forest Ranch and Lake Hodges.

"We have more houses burning than we have people and engine companies to fight them," San Diego Fire Capt. Lisa Blake said, according to the Associated Press. "A lot of people are going to lose their homes today."

On one cul-de-sac in the San Diego suburb of Rancho Bernardo, five of six homes burned to the ground, leaving flames from gas lines flickering amid the ruins, according to a KGTV report.

Authorities pleaded with residents Monday to follow evacuation orders and stay off cell phones.

A nursing home and Pomerado Hospital in Poway were evacuated along with 700 Navy personnel and their families in military housing in Lakeside and Ramona.

Qualcomm Stadium, home of the NFL's San Diego Chargers, along with schools across the region were opened to take evacuees.

Fixed-wing firefighting aircraft were grounded by the strong winds, officials said, making the jobs of fire crews on the ground even harder.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in seven counties.

"The wind is our number one enemy right now," he told a late morning news conference.

"The situation has gotten dramatically worse overnight ... worse than many of us could have imagined just a few short hours ago," Metcalf said earlier Monday.

A smaller fire that merged with the Witch Fire -- one of the biggest in the region -- entered the San Diego city limits Monday, said Mike Mohler with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

San Diego County Sheriff Bill Kolender said at a news conference the Witch Fire "will probably be the worst fire this county has ever seen -- worse than the Cedar Fire." See photos of the fires »

The notorious Cedar Fire killed a dozen people south of Ramona four years ago this week as it moved swiftly through the hilly terrain, eventually consuming more than 280,000 acres near the town northeast of San Diego.

Mandatory evacuations were ordered as the fires moved rapidly, Kolender said. "Please, when you are called, when you are notified, do what you were instructed to do," he said.

Crews that could be fighting flames have been tied up helping residents who didn't evacuate promptly, Metcalf said.

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"We've been unable to do any suppression effort because, in most cases, the fire resources are being used ... to do rescues," said Metcalf, chief of the North County Fire Protection District in Fallbrook.

Authorities said cell phone lines are often clogged, which hurts rescue efforts. They're also asking people to hold off on 911 calls unless there is clearly an emergency.

Poway declared a local emergency Monday as the Witch Fire expanded to the northeast section of that town. Officials asked some residents to leave their homes and opened emergency shelters.

The winds driving the flames are expected to stay strong, coming out of the northeast, at least through Tuesday, according to CNN meteorologist Rob Marciano.

A long line of vehicles streamed westward out of Ramona early Monday in response to a mandatory evacuation order as the front-line flames of the Witch wildfire swept rapidly closer to the San Diego County community.

The Witch Fire was one of several major wildfires to ignite Sunday around Los Angeles and San Diego, fueled by hot, dry conditions and pushed by fierce Santa Ana winds. See where fires burn across Southern California »

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Large fires also bore down on Malibu and Santa Clarita north of Los Angeles as thousands of firefighters worked into Monday morning in the struggle to protect lives and homes. Watch I-Report as flames push toward roadway »

About 1,400 firefighters battled the Malibu fire that started Sunday morning and had spread more than 2,200 acres, destroying 25 structures -- including five homes, a glass company and Malibu Presbyterian Church. Officials ordered the evacuation of several hundred homes -- including those of James Cameron, director of the movie "Titantic," and singers Olivia Newton-John and Tanya Tucker.

"All my stage clothing, boots, belts and wardrobe is in that house," Tucker said. "I have so much memorabilia since I just moved from Nashville to Malibu."

The Pacific Coast Highway remained shut down in Malibu.

A larger fire, fueled by wind gusts up to 80 mph, has spread more than 12,500 acres around Santa Clarita about 35 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.

Officials deployed at least 400 firefighters to battle the fire, which destroyed an estimated 17 buildings and threatened 3,800 Santa Clarita Valley homes. Authorities ordered mandatory evacuations for several communities.


Los Angeles County fire officials said the intensity of the blazes was staggering.

"You do not expect something to stretch our resources to this magnitude," Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Sam Padilla told The Associated Press. "To try and staff something this big, you cannot predict it." E-mail to a friend

[JTD]

The cable news networks have ongoing coverage. I also found live local breaking news coverage here:

http://www.knbc.com/videostream/10954229/detail.html

[Miss Mary]

A few more links:

http://www.malibucity.com/malibucity/in ... N=91328280

http://www.signonsandiego.com/

[Cyclenall]

These large fires tend to happen in October an awful lot due to the Santa Ana winds. Around this time in 2003, there was the Cedar Fire.

The National Weather Service of San Diego has closed due to the fires. This is very serous.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
840 AM PDT MON OCT 22 2007

THE SAN DIEGO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN SAN DIEGO IS
SHUTTING DOWN AND EVACUATING DUE TO THE WILDFIRES IN THE VICINITY.
BACKUP SERVICES WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE OXNARD OFFICE.

[Dionne]

How can you even begin to fight forest fires with wind gusts approaching 80 mph?

[southerngale]

This is horrible. My prayers go out to them.

[azskyman]

For those who might remember, we have two sons in southern California. Our oldest son and his family in Los Angeles are out of harms way right now. They can see the Malibu area fire from a vantage point not far from their home.

Our younger son Jarrod has evacuated his place of work near the Otay-Mesa border crossing into Mexico. Smoke and ash were very heavy and he said winds were at least 50 mph at times. They made the decision to evacuate because the way out of their industrial park is generally an eastward drive TOWARD the fire, so they wanted to make sure employees were out before the fire reached the area.

His townhome near Eastlake is at some risk later today. The Harris fire is to his southeast, but his place is at the top of a hill. Should the fire jump onto the hill itself, it may find its way up without much effort.

So he has grabbed some important items, changes of clothes, and left the neighborhood. Wife Grace is already at her sister's home.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. I'll update as I have any new news.

San Diego County is fighting the firefight of its life!

[Cyclenall]

How can you even begin to fight forest fires with wind gusts approaching 80 mph?

You know what, I heard some places with gusts up to 100 mph (NOT kph!!!). That is insane. Another thing was the dewpoint was -33 F at a certain location!

[southerngale]

Oh no, skyman. I'll say a special prayer for your son and his family. I can't imagine what is going through their heads right now.

[CajunMama]

I pray your son and his family, along with every one else there will come out of this unharmed.

[cycloneye]

I also join the prayers to your son and family and hopefully nothing bad will occur to any of them.

[JonathanBelles]

I saw a gust on TWC of 120mph somewhere out there. There was a major University, the homes of celebrities including Mel Gibson, and a big church in danger.

[angelwing]

I have a few friends out that way also, praying for all!

[Aslkahuna]

This just serves up the fact that California is meant to burn and that Santa Anas=Fires. The ecology of the California's forests, brush and grasslands require fire for reproduction (as dies much of the West) and when people get in the way, they are the ones who have to move. It hasn't helped matters any that back in the 19th Century some Yahoo introduced Eucalyptus trees from Australia into CA. Only Manzanita, that blowtorch with the volatile oils that covers SoCA's hills is more flammable than Eucalyptus. Should be noted that this is not an historic event-just history repeating itself.

Steve

[CrazyC83]

This is one scary fire out there. They sure are taking no chances with the evacuations...Do built-up areas slow down fires as opposed to forested areas?

BTW, this probably belongs in USA Weather.

[Miss Mary]

Steve - praying for your sons and their families and all in these massive and widespread fires' paths.

[Cyclenall]

One NBC nightly news person called the current La Nina "La Nino" .

[angelwing]

http://www.pph.org/dept_and_services.aspx?nd=1656




MANDATORY EVACUATION

POMERADO HOSPITAL AND VILLA POMERADO SKILLED NURSING FACILITY

Due to fires in the area, Pomerado Hospital and Villa Pomerado Skilled Nursing Facility have completed a mandatory evacuation. All patients have been transported to other local facilities. If you are seeking information about a family member or loved one, please call 858.613.4103 for assistance.

COMMUNITY FIRE EVACUATION SHELTER INFORMATION

Palomar Medical Center and Pomerado Hospital are NOT evacuation shelters. For your safety and the safety of our patients, please proceed to one of the following established community evacuation locations. We will update this page as more information becomes available.


• Escondido High School, 1535 N. Broadway, Escondido - THIS EVACUATION SITE IS NOW FULL

• Calvin Christian School, 2000 N. Broadway, Escondido

Qualcomm Stadium, 9449 Friars Rd, San Diego, CA

• Mira Mesa High School, 10510 Reagan Road (off Mira Mesa Boulevard) - THIS EVACUATION SITE IS NOW FULL

• Steele Canyon High School, 12440 Campo Road, Spring Valley

• Campo Community Center, 976 Sheridan Road, Campo

The Poway High School shelter is CLOSED.

These facilities will remain open as long as there is a need. Residents will be provided a safe place to stay, drinks and meals, and basic health services. The Red Cross will remain on site and provide lodging there tonight. If additional shelters are requested by emergency responders, the Red Cross is prepared to open them in safe locations as necessary.

For more information, please contact the County non-emergency information line at 619.570.1070. You may also dial 211 from your land line or visit http://www.211sandiego.org.

[JonathanBelles]

Do we have any members out in the scorching zone?

[Cyclenall]

Do we have any members out in the scorching zone?

Yes, Wxmann_91 . He and his family are most likely going to get out soon.