trip report - witch creek fire

[David Marzullo]

http://www.fredericky.com/images/dumb.pdf http://www.fredericky.com/images/dumb.pdf>

[C COOPER]

Yes, we're ok. We evacuated very early Monday morning. My buddy that rode up the Continental Divide (F650 BMW) with me showed up a little before 6:00am and helped us finish loading stuff up. I spent most of the day yesterday and this morning with him waiting to help him evacuate from northwest Poway. Looks like he's going to be OK. We rode around yesterday and helped various friends and complete strangers load up and evacuate. Fires in the Rancho Bernardo and northeast/east Poway area were just shocking. No other way to describe it. Lots of big trees blown over, broken branches, fences blown over. Lots of eucalyptus trees (turpentine on a stick). In helping people get out we were left behind the evacuation line several times. Sounds like we were crazy I know, but the looks on peoples faces when two guys on motorcycles rode out of the smoke from behind the evac line was pretty incredible (yes, we were both using some good breathing filters). Fire crews were focused on getting people out. We saw many houses engulfed in flames where there were no fire crews at all. Bridlewood area, just east of Espola Rd. was particularly bad. I haven't been able to get back in to our house, but I think it's ok. I know there were a number of houses within 2 blocks that were destroyed. La Terraza Apartments are a little over two blocks away and they lost a number of units. I don't know what the official count will be but the media says 21 houses on Aguamiel have been destroyed. Hard to get a count because it keeps changing, but I believe there are over 50 units/houses in the Westwood area of RB (home to me) that have been destroyed. It's definitely not over yet. Many areas around Lake Hodges are either in flames or smoldering waiting for the wind to change. Extremely lethal situation. Lots and lots of dry tinder/chaparal. My worst fear is that on Wednesday or Thursday we'll get some strong westerlies and the fire will blow back over I'm going to take some flak, I know, but there were people that needed help getting out. The National Guard has been called in now. Time to step back and see if I can help at the evac centers or somewhere else. For Ramona, Rancho Bernardo, Poway, Lake Hodges, Rancho Santa Fe, Fairbanks Ranch and points between, it is truly "the season of the Witch..." Click on "List of Destroyed Homes in Rancho Bernardo" at link below: http://genesis.sannet.gov/infospc/templates/cd5/index.jsp or link below for the list: http://genesis.sannet.gov/infospc/templates/cd5/images/pdf/homes_destroyed_in_rancho_bernardo.pdf Chuck [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]