Wednesday, October 24, 2007

San Diego Fires: Wednesday Morning Press Conference

  • Several million dollars are being moved from reserves to an active account
  • Waiting for national disaster funds. (I imagine we will get that from the horse's mouth tomorrow, you know, for show.)

Mayor Jerry Sanders:

  • Del Mar Highlands & Carmel Valley evacuations are lifted
  • Also, no voluntary evacs necessary in Otay Valley (Chula Vista)
  • Structures are still smoking in Rancho Bernardo, but people will be allowed back at some point today.
  • SDG&E lines are down
  • Because of the smoke in the air, stay indoors

Sheriff Bill Kolender:

  • More people have been evacuated from this fire than during all of Katrina
  • All personnel are working 12 hour shifts (counting all people working)
  • Still only two arrests (the looters who stole beer)
  • State courts closed till Monday, Federal Courts closed today
  • No power and water in areas, especially Julian and areas affected by the Poomacha fire

Fire Updates:

  • no new resources coming into the county

Rice- Fallbrook, 8000 acres

Harris- North & East side causing problems, weather changes could blow fire further east. Lion's Peak area is the most dangerous. Campo, Lake Marina, and Hauser Canyon need to be alert.

Witch- West end improved significantly. Poway, RB, Escondido are being evaluated for repopulation. Inland still has active burning. The fire is heading toward Julian, may make it into town today. (he's being nice, but basically pissed about people refusing to evacuate)

Hot Spots: Camino Del Sur, Rancho Bernardo

37 engines have been returned to normal operations in their communities

Trying out a sea plane (Martin-Mars) this afternoon. 1 drop will hit 3 acres with 7200 gallons, a plane used by Canadian fire officials.

Cleveland, San Bernadino, Angeles and Los Padres are all closed at this time.

42 shelters operating in the county. 6 shelters are at capacity including Steele Canyon and San Diego High (among others) Disaster management medical teams are in place. 3100 cots from FEMA, meals on wheels, whole foods donated 25 pallets of snack and food, and on an on. Already estimate over 686 dwellings burned in Rice, Harris, and Witch Creek alone. That doesn't include mobile homes, out buildings, vehicles, etc. which already will cost in excess of a billion dollars.

SDCountyEmergency.com has been backed up and upgraded and has "up to the minute information" and can handle "thousands of hits". (I'm trying to load it. Still loading. Still loading. Last update was 5:26 am. It is 7:31 am)

Forest info at http://inciweb.org/

No new fire related deaths in the last 48 hours.

Local Assistance Center being set up in RB. Destroyed homes are listed. (See my link below to 7/39. Brian's site can't really handle traffic in my experience)

Rancho Penasquitos is still evacuated. No change in repop plans yet. West of Rancho Santa Fe farms is repopulating, to the east is not.

More SDG&E conservation needed. More corridor info.

Think this one is wrapping up. End post.

No comments: