It has been a strange time in San Diego. Compared to some of our neighbors, we are fine. A few acquaintances lost their homes and a number of friends came very close. Everyone in San Diego County was impacted in a significant way by the firestorm. Here is a map showing most of the firestorm area (the Otay fire a few miles south of us is not included):
Click on image to enlarge.
Go here to see the map marked with the homes of friends who were evacuated during the firestorm: Firestorm PDF
Both Janet and I stayed inside as much as possible while the fires were raging, but we still felt the effects of the smoke. The first day of the fires it was dark all day--like really dark, like well after twilight, like no sun--and whenever the sun was visible it looked like a dark red moon on a foggy night.
The law school was closed for three days along with just about everything else in San Diego. The streets were quiet. Most people just sat inside their homes and mourned for those who have lost so much. It is hard to communicate how bad this experience was. It is at least as bad as it looked when you saw stuff about it on TV. We are going to be a community in recovery for a long while.
Our old home in Scripps Ranch is standing. Homes four blocks to the east and south are ashes. We knew people there who lost their homes, but they are all fairly distant acquaintances. One good friend was squarely in the path of the flames, but the fire left her home unscathed. Our friends in Cuyamaca where over 90% of the homes were lost to the fire are one of three homeowners in their neighborhood who did not loose their home--they are struggling through their survivor's guilt.
The weather has been perfect the last few days--a slow drizzle, on and off, cool, little wind. The fires are under control. People are returning to their normal lives. But things will take awhile to really get back to normal. People are having trouble buying property--no insurer is willing to issue homeowners policies yet. Blame is becoming the focus for many. Nevertheless, good times will return and all will be well with the world in fairly short order, I suppose. But these days will not be forgotten by those who experienced them.
