500 plus, homes destroyed, over 100 businesses, gone, 2 dozen hurt, and 1 man from Tecate died. 250,000 evacuated. It can be so hard to sit and wait for the next call to leave, the reverse 911 system, where they call you and you get the voluntary or a mandatory evacuation call. We have been called 1 time to voluntarily leave, then, called and told we could stay.......the car is packed and ready to go, and as much as you think you know what is important and what you will take, you find yourself reaching for many other things. I took money, of course, jewelry, in case we needed more cash, all our "important papers" the dogs, clothes, blankets, a tent, camp stove, water, and various other items. And all my DJ equipment, I figured if I end up in a shelter, I can help keep the kids busy singing.......and me busy helping.

It`s amazing to see, so surreal, 1500 National Guardsman and tomorrow by noon, we will have 6 C130, from Colorado and Wyoming to help fight the fires. 4 years ago it took a month to put out the Cedar fires, I can imagine how long it will be this time. 2 of the fires are contained, which means they have created a fire line around the fire, none are controlled, and most are going to get worse before they get better........the electric went out once, that was scary, but it came back on and you feel a little more in touch with the rest of the world.......the fire that is most threatening to me is the "Witch Creek fire" named for it`s origin of Witch Creek up by Julian and Santa Ysabel, it  has taken 145,000 acres so far and with a lot of hope and prayer not too much more.

I want to do more, but we have been told to stay in one place and do not leave unless we are told. So that is what we do. We check on our neighbors and call our friends to see if they are okay or need help....even if they just need to talk. And we pray for a better day for all......We have to limit our water consumption and food too. And now as the properties are evacuated we have one more thing to worry about, looters, yep, going yard to yard checking to see who is home in the hopes to steal something.....amazing. Our neighbors have a bit of an attitude towards them, it`s an old farming community and we have all been here for years. We know each other by name or site, and people walking freely through your yard better have a recognizable face......or???,  Like I said it`s an old farming community.....we take care of each other. And watch out for one another.......Most have been here for 40 to 60 years, I myself have only been here for 36 years, and I have had the same neighbors all that time, we all grew up together, and know each others kids & grandkids...etc. People that are practically family, so it is hard when something like this happens, cause of the effect is has on the neighborhood, and some of the elderly people take it the hardest, and want to leave out of fear, so you take a little more time and care for them in particular....The fire, we don`t know how it got started, but when it is over we will all be grateful we made it through another big scare..........

If this seems a bit scattered, well I have other things on my mind, I am watching the news and waitng for "The Call" and my thoughts are in many places, and there goes another forestry truck........

God Bless and My Prayers are with you all, Willow @-}----

Most of the area around us is under mandatory evacuation.......

The numbers have changed as a day and a half have passed, but you get the idea..........over 300,000 displaced, 6 dead, 260,000 acres burned.....destroyed house and business count going up hourly.

Last night an ember landed about 1/2 mile behind my house and caught some rough terrain on fire, almost taking a historical building on the Barona Reservation, the building was saved, and for the most part the fire put out, hot spots remained due to the moutainous area and darkness. But my home is surrounded by three fires, with the fear they could come together, we pray for the best.