This is our third fire season. Today was the scariest day. The North Fire went from zero to thirty five hundred acres in a few hours. It’s still mainly out-of-control.
The fire started in Cajon Pass. Settlers from the East rode their covered wagons through here. It was the pass or the mountains!
I-15 runs through the area as does a very busy set of railroad tracks. Much of what enters America on the West Coast moves through this pass.
I watched cars on the 15 catch fire this afternoon. It was difficult to see it happen in real time. Nobody beats TV when it comes to stuff like this.
We’ve been very dry, though we’re always dry around now. The fire area is mostly chaparral–sparse and stubby, drought resistant shrubs. They burn like paper.
Along with local firefighters, CalFire is on the scene. It’s serious here. The state’s involved.
This afternoon I watched a small biz jet lead an ancient DC-10 into the pass. Just above treetop level they dropped their load. A long thick plume of red powder fell to the ground. It was truly heroic flying.
One thousand firefighters plus a small air force are working hard. So much can burn so easily.
Thanks Geoff, for the info. I saw the I-15 scene on TV and was watching your blog, hoping for your take on it–and the view from your TV stations. Can’t imagine the fear of folks as they were overtaken on the highway with the flames. It is a miracle no one was killed. I have close friends up in San Clemente, so I do watch those fires closely, and follow along on my map. Thanks again.
Missed that nightmare by leaving the Victorville area heading south in rather slow traffic at about 10:30 AM that day. Got ‘down the hill’ to our destination at 12:30. Apparently everything hit the fan at about 2:30 or so.
With all out dogs in the truck, and not enough leashes along getting caught in that would have been a survival situation I do not like contemplating.
Very glad we missed out on that experience, to put it mildly.