Winds picking up

I spoke too soon about the winds. They've definitely picked up this morning. However, they're still not as bad as yesterday, and the air remains wonderfully clear.

A new day

The sun is just beginning to rise here, but something is missing---the Santa Ana winds. They were supposed to blow as strong as the night before, but at least here in Southern Orange County, they were completely calm. Overnight, I kept getting up to peek outside; it was so still it was almost eerie. The air also seems much clearer. It looks like any normal morning with the coastal fog over the ocean.

But of course the situation remains grim, and terribly sad. A friend whose husband is a firefighter with Los Angeles County says these are the worst fires California has ever experienced. The pictures from Lake Arrowhead are especially devastating. For us here, the Santiago fire in Irvine and Lake Forest is the closest, perhaps 10 miles away.

Fire update

The smoke seems to be growing thicker as the day goes on. I've heard there's a small fire burning about a mile from here, but don't believe it's a threat at this point. My critique partner, who lives in Northern San Diego County, has been evacuated, along with a quarter million others. It's hard to see the situation throughout Southern California getting better anytime soon with the winds continuing so strong.