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I live in Chino Hills. We've had very high winds since Sunday and today is no exception. I see the smoke and smell the fire but don't see any flames. We live right up against the hills of Chino State Park so I'm constantly watching those hills for any fires that may crop up. I have a student who attends Pepperdine but I've found out she's OK.

AZNpiano: I also got an email from a teacher in the San Diego area who had to evacuate. Perhaps it was the same person - Linda. I would like to hear from you if possible.

Why doesn't California just use the water from the ocean to put out the fires? It would only make sense. Theres plenty of ocean water why not?

It isn't lack of water, it's lack of a way to get the water to the fires.

The National Guard is on it's way with some big tanker planes. I'm glad they are on their way, I just wish they had been there sooner.

I watched CNN for a while this morning, my heart goes out to the people in these areas. We aren't talking about one or two homes (which would be bad enough), we are talking hundreds.

big wildfires like this create their own weather. it can be very unsafe to fly over them. from the reports i've read (i've written a lot about fire science and wildland firefighting), nobody is going to be able to do much about these fires until the weather helps out.

that means it's got to cool off, the winds have to die down, the RH has to go up. only then can firefighters get anything like an edge on the situation.

From San Diego: 300,000 people evacuated, tens of thousands of acres burned, uncounted hundreds of homes and businesses destroyed, at least one more day of hot, dry, intense winds expected.

These are not dime-a-dozen fires.

The latest from CNN:

SAN DIEGO, California (CNN) -- Raging wildfires have destroyed 1,300 homes across Southern California and, pushed by fierce Santa Ana winds, threaten 72,000 others, California fire officials reported Tuesday.


Evacuees joined hundreds of thousands seeking refuge in shelters, schools and stadiums Tuesday as fires pushed into new areas.

"It will not end ... until it reaches the ocean or the winds turn around," San Diego Fire battalion chief Bruce Cartelli said.

At least 16 wildfires have scorched about 425 square miles from north of Los Angeles to southeast of San Diego since the weekend.

While three major fires rage in Los Angeles County, the largest disruption of life and property came to the south, where San Diego County Supervisor Ron Roberts said Tuesday about 1,000 homes have been destroyed.

More than 300,000 people fled their homes in San Diego County, where five of 23 emergency shelters reached capacity Monday evening. Others took shelter with friends or relatives.

The U.S. Navy ordered sailors out of barracks and onto ships to make room for evacuees.

In an e-mail to CNN, Jonathan Gallen, a doctor in Poway, described how the fires quickly closed in on his neighborhood Monday.

"My pool was completely black with soot. Like the 'Creature From the Black Lagoon' was about to walk out of there," Gallen wrote. "The soot was falling so heavily that it blocked out the sun. There was a smoke cloud above our home that seemed to stretch for miles. This was bad."

Reporter Larry Himmel of KFMB-TV in San Diego showed viewers the destruction of his home in the Forest Ranch area.

"You can see my hose right here valiantly trying to do something," Himmel said as flames dwarfed a trickle of water. Watch reporter's account as his home burns »

National Guard troops were posted at Qualcomm Stadium, home to the NFL's San Diego Chargers, as it became a temporary home to 10,000 fire evacuees.


Sean McGough and his family fled their home in El Cajon for Qualcomm early Tuesday as the flames closed in.

"I looked out and saw the mountain engulfed in flames with a trail at least three miles long coming down," McGough said.

"When I went to bed at midnight, nothing in the East County was any immediate threat. ... Two hours later is when we got the news we needed to get out of our homes."

President Bush issued an emergency declaration Tuesday for seven California counties, clearing the way for federal disaster relief.

Emergency officials asked for food and water for evacuees and told those still in their homes to cut electrical use so the power grid is not strained.

We went thru the Cerro Grande fire in 2000 when all of Los Alamos and White Rock were evacuated, and every time fire season comes along and the homes start burning around the west we all get that feeling again, and the folks in Los Alamos particularly, of course. I know several people whose homes burned, or whose homes were across the street from a whole street that was just gone, or next door to where the devastation started. You can still the blackened sticks that used to be trees on the side of the hills when you drive into town. No one's really over it yet, tho it's better than it was a couple of years ago.

This is huge, and my heart goes out to these communities - it's a major event.

Cathy

Unbelievable. I can only imagine the horror of it all. We in B.C. have had bad fires and have lost many homes to forest fires. But nothing like we are seeing in Southern California.
My heart goes out to all.

My niece recently purchased a nice home in Escondido, north of SD. She evacuated yesterday afternoon just before the mandatory evacuation in her community. 70 homes there had already burned.
She, her husband, and dogs are guesting with friends. No cell phone use but is updating with emails.

Maps are just coming up in the area that are making sense. This area has burned, this area evacuated etc. Devastating.

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/slideshow/news/14396456/detail.html

Another lilyfriend has posted that he is safe but his friends who also raise Bengal cats (as does he) have lost their homes in Ramona. Everyone is helping out the best they can, but some are relocating to only relocate again. The Santa Anna winds are still raging off and on in several places.

There are several websites where people are posting their pictures. Sad, but you should take a look.

Recent:
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/slideshow/news/14399288/detail.html

From here you might be able to see at least 6-8 links of home pictures.

http://www.knbc.com/slideshows/index.html

When the winds die back it will be safer for the helicopters and planes to fly.

What will those who return have left after fires have burned down their communities and landscape? Where will those who have lost everything turn?
Fema better get it right this time.

LL

I just talked to Joy and Rick, they are okay.
They just returned to their home, which was okay, after spending the night in a high school with their two cats.
The risk is not over since the winds can change in a moment.
So they are paying close attention and may have to evacuate again.

Joy said everything was very organized and there were as many volunteers as evacuees, but the worst thing was the pizza they were served for dinner was burnt.

I also just spoke to TavD on the phone.
He had to evacuate and is staying with friends near the Mexican border.

He is not sure if his house is still there but he's hopeful based on maps he's seen of the fire's path.
It will be very close.

He expects he will be allowed back home tomorrow.

Oh, and his new 9'4" Mason and Hamlin CC is insured.

Thanks for the updates Kenny.

I kept thinking about the SoCal and LA piano forums parties participants...

http://www.pianoworld.com/forum_members/SoCalParty1.htm

http://www.pianoworld.com/forum_members/SoCalPartyJan2003.htm

http://www.pianoworld.com/forum_members/SoCalPartyJan2004.htm

http://www.pianoworld.com/forum_members/LAparty.htm

http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?/topic/22/27.html

http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?/topic/22/142.html

Those Californian's sure know how to party.
I can't wait until we can talk about forums parties again, instead of fires!

Please keep us updated, and take care.

Hi.
I'm a few miles north of Mt San Miguel (in the Mt Helix area south of El Cajon, about 1 mile north of Rancho San Diego, where reverse 911 was just announced a few minutes ago on 600 KOGO) , and the Harris fire seems to be slowly headed our way. We have the car pretty much packed, and are ready to go if the need arises.

As for pianos, I don't care if my 56.75" Ricca & Son upright gets torched - it's in fairly bad shape anyway, and I don't know what she thinks, but my mom's 4'11" Young Chang PG-150 is 7'3" too small to be worth trying to save.

Oh, one thing I haven't mentioned, the pitch on my upright seems to have dropped several cents in the last few weeks.

And, on a good note, compared to the 2003 Cedar fire(s), I've heard that there's only been 1 (maybe 2) fatalities, and a couple dozen injuries - a tiny percentage compared to 4 years ago.

sympathy and prayers from Kansas City are sent your way.

I'm near the beach (Huntington), so I'm not affected, but the smell is so pervasive. Even here at the office in Newport there is smoke smell in the ventilation. My place smells also, but the Estonia is fine! The winds were so strong they blew down trees in front of my townhome--could'nt use the front door.
Thanks for all your concerns. Some of the fires were started by arson--that is so sick.

It's catastrophic, a national desaster of the first degree....

Rest assured the whole world is watching, German TV I'm watching in the evening is brodcasting updates every 20 minutes...

Feeling genuinely sorry for the many people being affected by this, reportedly now alos including Dino whose family has just been asked to evacuate....

Our thoughts are with all of them!!

Pianos can be SOOOO very unimportant......

Norbert

Akira:

I am hoping that we will hear from you soon!

I think Akira is right in the midst of this disaster - and I am quite concerned.

Akira has been posting for just a few months now and always with good information, inspiring and motivating words to others, and just beginning as an adult piano student for about the same length of time. Akira has been very, very resourceful and has made an impact on the PWF is such a nice way.

Betty

And the dry, hot weather is not helping, either. My school reached 100 degress this afternoon. I saw one of the fires from the distance today. Freaky!

Four of my piano students came down with the flu since the fire started. I guess it's due to the fact everybody stayed indoors with the windows shut, and there's no moisture in their nostrils to protect them from the flu bug...

Does anyone know how Opera Tenor (from Sandy Eggo) is doing?

It's 12 noon right now, and the sky is very strange looking, a dull pink color, feels like I'm living on Mars or something; we've been having some glorious sunsets lately though.