Latest Wildfire Updates - As of 1:40pm

The 5 freeway has been closed, recently opened, but there are new fires at the rest stop and Las Pulgas, so it's subject to change.

Was able to get back to the house this morning about 7am. People on the left side of VanDeGrift were not able go go further towards the gate, nor turn into the area around Arrowood golf course. I have since heard that is opened, and a colleague was going to try to get to his house. He was evacuated yesterday as well, and was told to leave his door unlocked so that the firemen could get in to fight the fires if it got that close. He was understandibly eager to get home and lock everything up.

I was getting out of the car when a neighbor I hadn't met before came over to ask if I was ok or needed anything. She explained that there was a large amount of chaos last night as there were not one, but two evacuations that took place. The fires came up and burned the guard shack down, and burned several fences in the complex, thankfully missing the houses. Once the firemen had beaten it back, residents were given the "All Clear" signal. Then another flank of the fire returned around the other side, about 9:30pm, forcing folks to get out again.At some point our street was used as a stable, (the base has large stable just over the fence) because there was straw all up and down the street.

A word of warning to all of you with cable/telephone systems. Check to see if your phone works when there's no power. We have a "reverse 911" system in the area that calls residents and warns them to evacuate. But if the fires are near, the power is frequently turned off. This isn't a big deal if you are up and about and listening to the TV/Radio, but if it's the middle of the night and you are a heavy sleeper, you could be in some serious trouble.

I cannot tell you how grateful I was to have a place to go to. Having to go through that twice was not something I would relish.

My house is fine, though full of smoke and ash inside and out. The neighbors closest to the fires have big holes in their standing fences where the firemen had to bust through to get at the flames. The last thing I heard on the news was that the fire was 25% contained, but there was no smoke in the area at all.

A water chopper flew over my house (and my head) and misted the roofs while I was standing there, so I guess it's not completely clear as of yet. The cats were in the very back of my closet, and it took quite a while for them to come out and realize that they were ok. It must have been one heck of an evening, based on how long it took me to coax them from their hiding place. Also needless to say, the suitcase and pet supplies went back in the jeep immediately, as did my external hard drive with all the family photos on it, and some actual photos, many more than 100 years old.

In this process I decided that it would be wise to set the cat carriers on the ground inside the house to acclimate the cats to their presence. Normally when they see them, they know a trip to the vet is coming, so they bolt. I figured that leaving them out would allow me an element of surprise once they weren't suspicious of them. It was too funny. I set the carriers on the ground and they instantly both climbed in them and wouldn't come out. Clearly they were not too eager to go through this again. I didn't feel comfortable bringing them to work, but will be going to check up on them and the fires in just a few moments.

Once I had secured the house, I exited my house over by the park that's just across the street. Luiseno park is being used as the staging area for the police/fire, so there were easily 30 engines and patrol cars there ready and wating.

As I sat at the red light getting ready to leave my complex, another 10 engines were coming into the park. Their trucks said that they were from Fresno, Chico, Clovis, so we're pulling in help from all over. I think a visit over there to see if they need supplies or chocolate chip cookies. I mean, after all, it's just neighborly. :)

I think I'm going to go home and get a nap.

K